How it Happened in Dale
by Whackedgourd
Summary: What if Smaug had never come to the Kingdom under The Mountain? What if Thror didn't succumb to the greed of gold? What if his Kingdom had never fallen? This isn't about him, but it is about his great-grandsons.
1. In The Beginning

It all began with a story, one that captured the mind and the imagination. It made people laugh and cry, angered and desolated them with a turn of the page.

This particular story asks you to remain open-minded, and it asks, 'What if?' What if the dragon Smaug had never come down from the North? What if the Arkenstone wasn't lost? What if Thorin, Fili, and Kili never had to fight and die for their homeland? What if instead, they faced ordinary adventures and dangers? What if they, and their friends, had already journeyed to the north, defeated a dragon, obtained his treasure for themselves, and a, slightly hapless, hobbit that had been brought along, quite unwillingly, by a wizard. What if their lives all went according to their plans and not a greater design?

Well, this is still going to be done by a greater design, and it involves two young princes, who had the great good fortune to be born and raised in their family's home, the great city of Erebor, and the neighbouring town of Dale. There is no great dragon, nor anything more dangerous than an orc raid or two a season. There is a war, but it is only on the field of the Great Games, and the Dwarves do hate to lose to the Elves who win with great glee.

The two princes are, as you might have guessed, Fili and his younger brother, Kili. They are as alike in face as dawn is bright and night is dark. Fili was often called the fair prince, while Kili was named the dark prince, although both were always as good as their word and never thought to lose their tempers. Both shared their mother's good nature, and their father's long temper, even through the ravages of growing up. Behaviour that was considered unbecoming by their mother Dis was not encouraged, so there was no pampering of the princes beyond their infancy, no tempers sweetened by expensive gifts, and certainly no lofty egos tolerated without a very good reason. Not that the young dwarves were not spoiled by their doting father, uncle, grandfathers and great-grandfather, King under the Mountain, Thror. Their mother despaired of ever marrying off her sons to proper young dwarves lasses, when her husband and her brother Thorin, took Kili and Fili, to taverns and allowed them to drink themselves into the nastiest hangover they would ever have willingly.

After the boys came of marrying age, Thorin, for their father had been killed with a poisoned arrow from an orc raid, took the boys to a Dwarfs brothel in the town of Dale. Dis remained convinced her sons would never marry well, and after becoming ill one winter after Kili announced his desire to travel North and slay a dragon, Dis would never see her boys become dragon slayers, as the illness took her life, bare weeks after the company had left Erebor in search of a dragon. Thrain, father of Thorin and Dis, buried his only daughter, and sent word to his son and grandsons of her passing. The messenger never reached his destination, having been ambushed by a pack of hungry wargs.

Years had passed, no more than five, however, and the company returned, with their wizard, Gandalf the Grey, and his hobbit friend Bilbo Baggins. These two stayed in Erebor until it was spring and departed with a small share of dragon treasure each. Thorin, Fili and Kili had mourned the loss of Dis in their own ways. Kili turned his grief into productiveness and became the Kings Own Huntsman. He was by far he best hunter, and his kills went directly to his great grandfathers table. Thorin grieved a short time for his sister, but revived when he saw what her sons needed, a new centre to their world. The young men now became his focus, for they were his own heirs until he had his own children. Kili was no king in the making, all knew this, he was a good dwarf, yet more inclined to stand by and wait his turn. Fili was a natural leader, even as a child. He had always led Kili into mischief, was the first one to jump off the high cliffs into the swimming holes, and generally had a lack of fear of anything he did not think deserved to be feared.

This did not lead him into grand feats of recklessness, more than a time or two. Kili could often talk his brother into doing things that were less dangerous and still fun. Thorin had it in his mind that, given the opportunity, both his nephews could be great. Fili as a king in waiting, and Kili as his closest and wisest advisor.

Although what happened to Fili in this story, only the gods themselves could have talked him out of it and still it would have been an up hill battle to keep him from being foolish, as all young men can be.

In the town of Dale, there were many people, so many; the Dale was more a city, than a town. This story centers on one youngish maid, not very unusual, pretty enough to be pleasing to the eye, yet not so much as to make young men declare love for her immediately, or cause jealous wives to chase her with hatpins. She was simply put, lovely. But for all that she was well off enough for a generous dowry, having only to work selling her, secretly hidden, grown, and harvested, truffles several times a week. Because even in Dale and Erebor, truffles were of great value, and the size and colour of the Truffle maids, made them and her even more desirable. She always had the best and had earned the unkind nickname, that none would say to her face, of truffle pig. She was known to the head cook of the royal household of the King under the Mountain, and was begged repeatedly by other well to do houses for her truffles.

As to her lineage, which unfortunately, is what has kept her from marrying any man, human or Dwarven. She had the great misfortune of having a human mother, and a Dwarven father. Now he loved the woman he married and mourned the loss of her greatly, only his mourning involved great amounts of ale and wine, which unfortunately, left his only child, not yet an adult, to find her own way in a world, where although they are not uncommon, they are looked down upon as being Half-breeds. And the girl was a half-breed, half dwarf gave her the diminutive height of four feet and three inches tall by way of human reckoning, she received her mother delicateness of face and form. No long nose, or thicker fingers of a dwarf lass, she had the small pert nose and the nimble, thin fingers of a human lass that could sew an ell of embroidery, or in her case, dig truffles faster than a pregnant sow.

It was her smiling face and dancing form that first drew Fili's attention, at the year's spring festival, after the company returned from the slaying of the great dragon Smaug.

The music rose in a crescendo of fiddles and pipes, drums, and high-pitched harps. Most danced because it was expected, and the rest danced because it was fun. Winter was finally over and spring had arrived. Food was aplenty of this day, as was ale, and wine sent from the Wood Elves, who did not leave their forest until the summer Games. Fili walked about enjoying the fresh air, the Kingdom under the Mountain had finally reopened its vents to let in the fresh air, and let out the dwarves the enjoyed being above ground. Kili had buggered off somewhere, hunting or just observing the festival, Fili didn't know. As he wandered, several of his friends appeared at his side and led him off to watch the dancing, and that was where he saw the truffle maid. The girl the cook would hunt down as often as possible in order to pay dear gold for a few ounces of mushrooms. Fili didn't care about food, so long as it was fit to eat.

The buying of and the ingredients didn't much interest him and he simply shrugged whenever the topic was brought up. At the festival however, he heard about the truffle girl and the description of her had caught his interest, if only for a fleeting moment, before a different dwarf lass walked by. By the time he had turned back to look for the lass selling the truffles, she had left the circles, picked up her basket and had headed towards the vendors market. Fili followed, leaving his friends to flirt shamelessly with lasses, both human and dwarf, not unwilling to have some innocent fun.

Fili saw the lass, her blue-black hair without the distinctive dwarven curls, was standing on tiptoe to look at a cluster of hairpins, the sort with wax shaped into flowers and paste jewels on the ends. She had progressed to the gilded combs and silk flower hair hat pins by the time he reached her. Fili heard her ask how much a pair of combs were, and watched as she tried to hide her disappointment when she found out they were beyond her ability to purchase now.

"I'll pay for those, if you please." Fili offered, coming up on the girl's left hand. She looked at him, startled into staring at him with her eyes wide in surprise. He noted that they were deep green; teal would be the name of the colour. Fili smiled, a very good attempt at being charming.

"And why, pray, would you wish to pay for a lasses hair combs?" asked the girl, cocking her head curiously.

"They would look rather nice in your hair, I suppose." Fili said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, he had plenty of practice in this area of courtship, though he had yet to be serious about courting a lass. The girl eyed him, up and down, then just looked at him for an uncomfortably long moment.

"No, thank you. I know a cad when I meet one. Thank you, but no thank you, sir." said she and walked away without the combs and without her basket. Fili noticed this and seized the basket, then ran after the girl, he would get her name this time, or at least a gesture of apology for the slight she gave him. He caught up to the girl, who was talking with some human children, quite easily her height, but none was more than ten years old. They were discussing dolls and their clothing. Fili waited patiently while the girls and the dwarf lass talked and giggled for what seemed like a half hour or more. The lass finally noticed he was waiting and turned to him after sending the children off on an errand.

"Are you going to offer to buy doll clothing this time?" she asked with a grin, and in that moment, Fili could swear he could see himself taking her as his mistress for a very long time.

"You forgot this back at the pretties vendor." Fili said, holding up her basket, the girl gasped, and grabbed for the basket. Fili held it out of reach and grinned at her. "What do I get for returning it?" She scowled at him, then a shoe shod foot collided with his trouser covered shin with a goodly amount of force. Fili bit back a yelp of pain and a curse at the same time; he also bent at the waist slightly, bringing the basket within the truffle seller's reach. She snatched the basket from him and smiled broadly.

"Blackmail is not the way to get on the good side of a lass." she stated and this time trod away quickly, leaving Fili to nurse his bruised shin by himself. He vowed to find out just who she was and repay her for the insult and injury. It would be weeks and a botched hunting trip until he saw her again.

Kili had convinced his brother, who was prone to laze away in the heat of the coming summer, into going hunting out in the orchards, where there had been sightings of wild boar hunting for truffles. This was dangerous to the harvesters, and the pigs that did most of the truffle hunting. It didn't occur to Kili that Fili was trying to win over a truffle hunter, it may have, had Fili told his brother about the girl that had preoccupied him for a few days till he was distracted by a new chambermaid in his rooms. Now the maid was getting ideas that did not interest Fili in the slightest. She would be replaced within the week. The head of staff should have known it was a very bad idea to put a new maid in the young prince's household. Especially since neither of them had any qualms over tumbling a maid or two a week.

The hunting party left early in the morning, when the air was still cool enough to require a cloak. A pony trained to walk quietly was needed to reach the orchards, boars were tricky to hunt, and could smell with the same accuracy of a good hunting dog, hence the current theft of truffles and fruit. The party spread out to surround the orchard that held the best fruit and the most truffles. Dwarves are fond of mushrooms and truffles were a delicacy, worth their weight in silver. Fili sighed, it was already beginning to get warm now that the sun was a finger width above the horizon, he removed his cloak and shook his hair to let air onto the back of his neck. He kept his ears trained for the sound of pigs, none of the truffle pigs were penned once the boars were spotted. The boars would breed with the pigs, and better truffle hunters would be the result. The hunters just had to make sure that they killed boar, not pig.

Fili heard a small shriek, and his hair stood on end, one of the pig handlers hadn't heeded the orders and had come out to hunt truffles. He turned his pony and galloped toward the sound. What he found startled him, more than the presence of the wild boars, was half a lass's cotton skirt in bright blue, along with two leather slippers, and nothing more.

"Hello?! Lass are you well?" Fili called, the boars paid him no attention.

"Frightened and humiliated, but uninjured." said a sheepish voice very nearly above him. Fili cast about, looking for the girl, and caught sight of a pair of small feet, then ankles and the rest of the blue skirt, before finding the lass' face, blushing red and trying not to look pathetically pleased to see him.

"Well, the truffle girl. Did no one tell you that there was to be a boar hunt in this orchard?" Fili asked with a broad grin on his face. The girl pouted and looked away.

"The orchard owner said it was fine if I went searching in here today. He said nothing of a hunt." she said, as Fili brought his pony to stand next to her tree. Fili held out his hand to help her onto his pony.

"And when did he say you could enter?" Fili asked as she settled behind him and put her arms around his waist. Fili could almost hear her stubbornness rising.

"A week ago." she admitted after a few moments of stubborn silence. Fili started laughing and received a pinch in his ribs.

"So, now I have saved you from the boars, do I at least get a name to call you by, rather than truffle girl?" Fili asked still chuckling, the girl remained silent. "I apologize for laughing, but I also kept you from going hungry not too long ago."

"My name's Meadow." Meadow said quietly.

"Meadow? That isn't a dwarven name, is it?" Fili asked blankly.

"No, it's a human name." Meadow said, still quiet.

"Are you half dwarven to have a human name?" Fili asked carefully.

"My mother was human. She chose my name, so that it wasn't too unusual." Meadow explained. Fili remained silent; this didn't alter his plans in the slightest.

"Well, I am Fili, Third Prince under the Mountain." Fili said proudly. Telling his title often had the same effect as a hurricane on women's skirts.

"Thank you Fili. Your help is appreciated. Could you perhaps rescue what's left of my skirt and my shoes?" Meadow asked, she had to repeat herself, when Fili gave her the strangest look she had ever received. Fili shot one unconcerned boar dead and the others cleared off in fright. Then retrieved the muddy length of blue cotton, and found only one slipper.

"It seems the pigs were hungry enough to eat your little shoe." Fili said with a smirk.

"No! I just bought those only a week ago!" Meadow cried in denial, jumping down from the pony, and wincing when her feet hit hard roots. "It has to be here. Keep looking."

"'Tis only a shoe, lass. You can get another pair." Fili pointed out, it wasn't the best-made shoe he had seen either.

"Those cost me a great deal as it was. I won't be able to buy more until fall." Meadow snapped and took the one ruined shoe from Fili. She turned it over again and again, trying to figure out how to fix it, but it was ruined beyond repair, as was the other half of her skirt.

"May I once again save you? I'll purchase a new skirt and a pair of shoes for you." Fili offered carefully.

"And what would you expect in return?" Meadow asked, suddenly waspish, Fili held his hands up in defence of his offer.

"What is the state of your larder?" Fili asked with a smile.

"Well stocked. I have my father to take care of." Meadow said, still suspicious.

"I wouldn't say no to a good lunch. Especially if it gets me out of this blasted hunt."

"What about that boar you killed?" Meadow asked, pointing to the dead porcine.

"Dinner then. Would your father object to boar for his table and a good story?" Fili asked brightly, Meadow finally smiled at him and laughed. Fili quickly dressed the pig, it wasn't very old and therefore not very large. Not long after Fili and Meadow left the orchard, Kili came looking for his older brother. All he found were two sets of footprints and the offal of a field dressed boar. Kili figured his brother had somehow found a girl and was off with her, eating his boar and keeping out of the sun.

Fili sat at the head table with his brother, uncle and grandfather. They were waiting on Thror, to arrive and start the feast. A fortnight had passed since the boar hunt, and Fili's first attempt on Meadow's good graces. He had another plan to put in motion. She had expressed interest in the theatre, and he was going to take her to see the new comedy that the humans had come up with. It had nothing to do with dwarves, but the elves might find it a bit tongue in cheek. Great Grandfather Thror came in and took his seat, thus starting the break fast feast. Fili didn't notice the glances his brother would give him from time to time.

"So, brother, who is she?" Kili asked with a quirk of his eyebrows. Fili sputtered in his drink and looked at Kili.

"She?" Fili asked, hoping to stall for time.

"The lass you've been sneaking off to see. The one who has you picking at your meals, and staring off into the ether." Kili said, exaggerating only a little, he was right, that Fili was preoccupied, but mostly with planning ways with which to get through Meadow's defences. Nothing short of cataclysmic would put a dwarf off his dinner.

"I don't think I know what you are speaking of, brother." Fili said, going for ignorance, rather than admitting there was a lass at all. After all, she was common as a mouse, and a half breed on top of that.

"Yes you do. The lass what sells the truffles to the cook, and makes him so happy to see her everyday. For the past fortnight." Kili pointed out with a sly grin. He did know what happened in the kingdom, especially when he heard the maids tittering about the girl his brother was wooing.

"A lass selling truffles?" Thror asked, he was particularly partial to white truffles. "Have her brought in when next she comes so that I may pick the truffles." This put a touch of fear in Fili, Thror still enjoyed a lass from time to time, and none of them refused the king. Fili would have to keep his current interest away from the Hall. Fili finished his breakfast and hurried down to Dale, to find Meadow.

Meadow for her part was entrenched in housework. Her father had once again spent his night in the taverns and had come home blind drunk. He was in the sitting room, snoring away the consequences of his drunkenness. Meadow set the two broken chairs out on the back porch and looked at the broken windows in the front porch. The landlord was not going to be happy with the damage her father had wrought once again. Meadow finished tidying away the worst of the damage, and washed up herself. She put on the shoes and skirt Fili had bought her, he had been discreet, paying a child to buy the items and bring them to him, before he doubled back and gave them to Meadow before they had entered the town those two weeks back. He had been nothing but kind since, teasing her gently now and again, being nothing less than mannerly in her fathers presence, who for his part, was ecstatic that a prince was courting his daughter. Fili had given Meadow an amused grimace as her father went on into his cups about having a prince for a son in law.

Meadow sat on the front stoop with her embroidery; she was going to stitch it to the kidskin shoes Fili had given her. The sound of a pony trotting towards her made her look up. Fili on his pony came up the street, he was scowling, and the reason was right beside him, his uncle Thorin had accompanied him to town and was not in the least bit inclined to leave his nephews side. Dwarves on either side of the two bowed and scraped as the royals passed, only to stop directly in front of Meadow.

Fili dismounted and held out his hand to Meadow.

"My grandfather the King wishes to meet you and see your truffles." Fili grumbled, making Thorin smirk at his reticence.

"I don't have any at the moment. It's been too dry for harvesting, these past weeks." Meadow said. "What I do have is dried out and tasteless.

"After the next rains. King Thror would have you at the castle with your best white truffles. The head cook would be pleased as well, if you came first to her to sell your delicacies." Thorin said, amused at Fili's scowling face. "Dress to appear before the King himself and expect to remain the night. Fili, take care of anything she may need for her presentation to your great grandfather." Thorin said, grinning broadly as Fili's scowl deepened visibly.

"Aye uncle. A new court dress and jewellery." Fili mumbled and sketched a slight bow to his uncle as he turned his pony and left.

Fili dropped down from his pony and sat on the steps next to Meadow. He sighed deeply several times, to Meadows' continued amusement. She grinned when he finally turned to her, with a very attractive pout on his face.

"You could sympathize with me." Fili said petulantly.

"I cannot as I do not have an uncle to embarrass me." Meadow said, feigning sorrow. Fili huffed and put his chin on his fist, looking for all the world like a deeply insulted child. This thought made Meadow giggle to herself, and Fili perked up a little. Fili plucked a strand of Meadow's hair from her shoulder and lined it with the rest on her back.

"Would you care to go to the theatre this afternoon, and see what is being played by the humans? We'll go to dinner afterwards." Fili offered hopefully.

"It is to rain soon. Should you not take me to get a court worthy gown and jewellery?" Meadow asked with another giggle. Fili glowered. "You are always offering to buy me things, why do you not wish to do so now?"

"Because I'll get nothing out of this, and my uncle all but ordered me to do so." Fili said bluntly. Meadow had long since come to the conclusion that Fili was only interested in what he could get from her, but since she did not allow him to indebt her to him, she owed him nothing but her attention when he took time from his schedule to visit her. She believed that the longer she held out, the more he'd come to truly care for her. Even if a wedding wasn't in the offing, she'd still at least have a friend in a high position. Fili sighed as Meadow continued her embroidery, she wanted to go to the show and go shopping, but couldn't decide.

"I don't know which to do first. What do you think we should start with?" Meadow asked quietly, Fili lit up with a bright smile, and he stood up quickly.

"The jewellery is easy enough. The dress can be bought already made. Let's get that done with and go to the show. You'll love it, I promise." Fili said in a rush, he grabbed Meadow around the waist and tossed her onto his pony, before climbing up behind her and heading off to the dressmaker's, particularly the Dwarven side. In two hours, he had found everything any courtesan would love to have, and Meadow looked uncomfortable in the deep red and overly lacy dress he had picked out. This was obvious to him and her quiet nature was smothered in the gown. Fili looked about and found a sapphire and cream lace gown that was half the size of the red dress. The seamstress looked offended that her greatest creation wouldn't appear before the King, until Fili assured her that at least something of hers would. Meadow looked at Fili appreciatively after the blue dress had been packaged. Then they went to the jewellers.

"Are you sure emeralds are the best to go with a blue gown, Fili?" Meadow asked, a little pensive, she didn't have the means to keep the jewels, and they were jewels, safe.

"Your eyes are green and sapphires would blend with the dress. Emeralds that can closely match your eyes look better." Fili said assuredly, and held up a string of emerald stones the size of his thumbnail, tiny white pearls placed three apiece between each emerald kept the choker from being overwhelming. A matching set of pearl and emerald earrings were supplied immediately by the jeweller. Fili handed Meadow the earrings and stepped behind her to place the choker and fasten it.

"I would enjoy seeing you wear this, and only this." Fili whispered in Meadow's ear, too low for the jeweller to hear, as he was now across the room with another customer. Meadow blushed deeply, she had known what Fili wanted from her, but to put it into words was both frightening, and flattering.

Fili's hooded eyes and quirked lips were all that remained of his intentions, although the proprietary hand at the small of her back was reminder enough. He kept his hand on her, either on her back, her elbow, or shoulder. Fili had the jewels sent to his personal cache in the castle, and had the dress delivered, after the alterations had been made to it, to Meadows home. They attended the show, but Meadow couldn't focus on it or much other than the fact that Fili had stated his desire aloud and he meant what he said. Fili delivered her to her door and accepted her father's invitation to a tankard of ale. They discussed the pending invitation to the Castle and what it would do for the sale of truffles once it got out that the king loved them. Fili promised that Meadow's truffles would hold pride of place in the palace, so long as she sold them. Meadow's father soon left off drinking in his house and went looking for a tavern, forgetting that he had left his unmarried daughter with an unmarried man. This however didn't pass by Fili in the slightest. He hadn't drank more than a tankard of ale, carefully making sure he only drank when he was thirsty.

After her father stumbled out the door, Meadow came back into the sitting room to collect the tankards, and was surprised to see Fili still inside.

"I thought you left." Meadow said, picking up her father's mug, and holding out her hand for Fili's. He held it tight and grinned at her.

"I know how to wash dishes. Kili, Ori and I were the youngest on our quest and wound up doing the worst of the chores. Dishes weren't one of them." Fili said, and followed her into the kitchen. He kept close, almost crowding her into the corner of the tiny kitchen. He began to hum a tune, one that was well known to the people of Dale and the Kingdom under the Mountain. Meadow joined in humming the tune and swayed when Fili nudged her with his hip, soon they were dancing and spinning across the braided rug in the sitting room, until Fili tripped on the rug and they went sprawling across the long sofa, which served as her father's bed when he couldn't find the stairs.

Fili had managed to twist enough so that Meadow didn't land beneath him, she was sprawled like a rag doll across his chest, her hair had spread like ink and hung around her face and his, in silken streamers. Fili reached up and smoothed back a few strands, caressing Meadow's cheek as he did. Meadow leaned into his hand and smiled tentatively at Fili. He returned her smile with a slight smile of his own and cupped her cheek in his hand. He pulled her towards him and kissed her. A perfectly innocent kiss, nothing to make it seem as though he was attempting to overwhelm or seduce her. He was hoping on her being interested enough to continue kissing him. He was rewarded with another kiss, tentative as he expected, his friends had told him that she never had any serious suitors. And none were interested in her pitiful dowry, that shrank each time her father went out.

Fili let Meadow think she was in control of the moment, until he rolled over suddenly, pinning Meadow beneath him, and giving her a wicked grin, before utterly ravishing her with a scorching kiss made to seduce a girl. Meadow was surprised to say the very least, but she believed that Fili deserved this much at least after the lovely evening at the theatre, and the afternoon of shopping. This belief wore off, the moment Fili's hands wandered into forbidden regions, and began tugging at the neckline of her blouse. Meadow's hands were trapped behind Fili's head, he had pulled them there after he had changed their positions on the sofa. Now, Meadow wanted her hands free to stop Fili's hands from wandering. She got one hand free, just as Fili managed to unclothe her left breast and fondle it gently.

Meadow caught his hand and pulled it away, Fili simply switched his attention to her right breast, and began kissing his way down her neck. Meadow gasped when his mouth found her breast and he suckled her nipple in a most pleasurable way. Meadow lost the ability to speak then, so overcome at the turn of events. She was so overwhelmed, that it took her several moments to realize the Fili's hand had travelled to her hip and was pulling her skirt up indecently high. She didn't quite understand what he was after, until his hand slid over her thigh, under her skirt, and quite a ways between her legs, making her shriek right in his ear, and pull away as much as she could, what with his being on top of her and holding her in place with his weight.

Fili pulled away, with a hand to his ear thinking Meadow had screamed loud enough to shatter his eardrum. She was now completely covered again, and staring at him like a frightened rabbit.

"I went too far, did I?" Fili asked, a satisfied smirk on his face, Meadow's stare became a glare. "Well, I'm not sorry for doing what I did. I found it quite enjoyable."

"I did too, until you tried for more than what you deserve." Meadow snapped, and stood. "Good night, Fili." she said, and swept to the door. She held it open for Fili to understand that he was no longer welcome this night. Fili fetched his hood and cloak, put them on and with a great use of movement stemming from swinging his cloak onto his shoulders, Fili stole one last kiss from Meadow, before turning himself around and going outside into the summer night.

Meadow shut the door immediately behind Fili and leaned against it, trying to understand what had just gone on between them. He had made it clear that he was interested in her, all the fancy and expensive gifts he kept trying to give her, and now tonight. She knew he was a prince, he had introduced himself as such and the townspeople made it painfully clear that he really was a prince. Meadow sat down at the dining table to think, she was falling in love with a prince and knew that it was a mistake. Fairy tales were just that, not real and only existed to give children something to dream about. Meadow was far too old to believe in the Ash Maiden story. She knew no wizards or kind witches to magic up a cloth of gold dress and slippers made of diamond.

She also knew that she was a half-breed and not worthy of a prince. Fili was only dallying with her and once he got whatever he was after, he'd be gone and quite possibly leave her in serious difficulties. But he was just so very kind to her, unlike the other half-bred dwarves who tried to pay her suit. Those men thought that because she was a half-breed, she'd fall over herself trying to get married. Some were outright cruel, and others clearly thought they were doing her a favour by paying suit. These men had all vanished once Fili had made it plain that he was paying court to Meadow, even if he only planned on making her his mistress, none of her other suitors had made a peep about Fili's presence, outside a tavern and the bottom of a few barrels of ale.

Meadow made a plan, if Fili only wanted her for fun, then he'd have an uphill battle. She would settle for nothing less than the best of what he could give her, she'd accept the jewellery, and sell it after he left her. She would have a way to support herself, and her father wouldn't be able to drink away dresses and jewels. With the way he drank, he'd drink himself to death, no small feat for a dwarf accustomed to everything from watered wine to hard spirits used to light forge fires. Meadow sighed, and went up to her bed. Her father didn't stumble into the house until nearly dawn. He'd be demanding more than half her earnings by noon again, but this time the rent was due and Meadow had a small amount hidden away in case of emergency.

Summer passed in a swirl of heat, cotton dresses, and stolen moments in the orchards whenever Meadow went truffle hunting. Fili soon learned her trick at being better than the pigs. The ribbons that were tied to all the trees were usually to let the harvesters know which were still green or which were ripe. There was every few trees, a small black or white string hidden among the ribbons. Meadow explained that the string was where she had left part of a truffle to grow, and what colour it was. She used the harvesters' ribbons as camouflage for her bits of string since many of the ribbons were plaid, to show neither ripe nor green fruit on the trees. She had spread the truffles all over the five fruit orchards, since none were harvested until late summer and fall, and truffles were at their best in early summer, after the spring rains had drained and the fungi had time to grow to a size worth selling. The orchard managers also didn't allow truffle pigs in until the fall, so Meadow had a whole season to grow and sell her truffles.

Fili was impressed, but he knew his great grandfather hadn't forgotten about Meadow. He still wanted a source of white truffles, and to meet the girl who had taken up so much of Fili's time and energy. He was going to bring Meadow in to the castle, once her earning potential had ebbed in the fall. He also hoped to have bedded Meadow by then, so that she wasn't on anyone else's list of conquests, not until he had conquered her himself at least.

On this late summer day, Fili had taken Meadow off to the southern slopes of the Mountain, where grapes were grown to make wine. Winter was a long way off, but the grapes were ready to be pressed and the community that kept the vineyards were always welcoming extra hands and in this case, feet. The first harvest, green grapes to make pickling wine needed to be pressed and put into casks before the wine was put in. Fili knew the Meadow wanted to be part of a large, accepting group of people. Half-breeds felt like outsiders no matter what half they were most like.

The vineyards were an eclectic mix of nearly every mixed breed imaginable. There were half Elvin men and women, from all types of elves, even a few dark Elvin half bred with Wood, High, and Moon elves. There was even one half dark elf and human hybrid, and he was married to the only full elf, a Moon Elf from far down south. They had brought the wine grapes with them over two centuries ago. There were plenty of half dwarven, half-human lasses for Meadow to make lasting friends with.

Fili was proud of himself for coming up with this plan, even though his Uncle Thorin had mentioned that someone ought to go to the vineyards to oversee at least some of the wine making, there was usually a great feast and a festive air for the helping hands. Kili had mentioned going, but there was more he'd rather do than watch a handful of country lasses flash their ankles in a barrel of grape juice, hoping to catch a princes eye and perhaps his lavish attention. An illegitimate child wouldn't be looked at sideways either, not if the prince paid to support his child. Fili had realized then that this was the way to getting over the last of Meadow's barriers, and had offered to go in Kili's place, provided he could take a guest with him, his uncle had replied that the more there was, the merrier it would be. None of his family believed Fili was overly serious about Meadow, and he wasn't, not to his way of thinking. He had gone from wanting to have her simply because he could, to wanting to keep her as his mistress for a while. He thought it would be fun for him and good for her. All the gifts he gave her, she could sell to keep herself comfortably for a while, and maybe marry better than she could have just selling truffles door to door.

As the day grew longer, the great half barrel for grape pressing was cleaned and rolled to its place on a half hill, with casks lined up next to the scaffolding. Meadow was with the other young, unmarried girls, giggling and laughing as they washed their feet and legs, and kilted their skirts to keep them out of the juice. Fili lounged on a blanket, piled with cushions to support him so he didn't feel the ground. He watched with an indulgent smile, waving whenever Meadow thought to look for him. She would be grateful and exhausted tonight, her resistance would be superficial, and he would take as much advantage as he could without pushing too far.

She had allowed him greater privileges when it came to being intimate, but she still held out that final barrier. He was not allowed to spend the night with her; her father was her excuse, whenever Fili tried to push the issue. She would never stay anywhere overnight with him either. So, returning her to her home and stealing a few moments of privacy was all they had gotten. Fili hadn't noticed all the time he had spent on Meadow until his friends had caught up with him one night after returning her home, and demanded the details of what had kept him from the taverns so long. This memory brought a hooded look to his face; he had boasted about keeping Meadow as his mistress and regaled his friends with stories of how she was demanding of him, and not for trinkets.

Several of his dwarven friends had looked impressed and said they'd take her once he was done with her. He had managed not to scowl at them, but their easy insult of Meadow had rankled, and still did. He wasn't foolish enough to believe that he was in love, but he wasn't going to share what he hadn't yet partaken of. He knew that she ultimately wanted marriage, but he wasn't going to be tied down before he was less than one hundred and fifty years old, and even then, it would take more than a rich dowry and a pretty lass to be his ball and chain.

Meadow looked up, and saw the dark look on Fili's face. She left the girls and headed to the picnic Fili had brought with them. She didn't bother to untuck her skirt as it spread out around her when she sat next to Fili. He immediately shifted to lay his head in her lap, silently begging Meadow to stroke his head, she smiled and did as was quietly requested. The pressing went on without them, and the day slowly became evening.

They ate their lunch and packed up, with few words exchanged between them. Fili would smile at her whenever he caught her eye, and Meadow could not help but smile back. He had been sweet, and generous with his attention and Meadow had allowed him advances with her. But now he was expecting more than she had been willing to give. She believed that today was supposed to be the gift that topped all his other gifts. He had introduced her to people who knew what it was like to belong to neither of their parents' worlds. Meadow had met young women who liked her and didn't judge her because a prince was paying her attention in a less than innocent manner.

These women had similar experiences and had shocked Meadow with their stories and advice on how to deal with men. One of them had even given Meadow a tea with ingredients to prevent unexpected accidents. Meadow had asked what kind of accidents, and was laughed at. An older girl had taken her aside and explained that the tea would keep her from getting with child, and therefore keep her from being openly shamed. The tea would remove and prevent any child from come to term, if she drank it once a month, best done when she started her womanly courses. Meadow had thought to be horrified, then had time to think as she sat with Fili, it was a way to prevent a difficulty. Not producing a child would mean that Fili would not set her aside and claim that she was unfaithful and refuse to acknowledge the child.

Fili helped Meadow up onto his pony, and swung up into the saddle, he often refused to let her ride her own mount, not needing his armour made life easy for his pony, so the weight of two dwarves and a picnic basket wasn't taxing it too much. And this gave Fili the opportunity to keep his hands on Meadow far longer than was proper. Fili wrapped the side of his cloak around Meadow, there was a nip in the air with the coming autumn, and she hadn't thought to bring her cloak. He was rewarded when she shifted to huddle closer to his chest. He smirked at her and pulled her hips up so that she wasn't on one leg alone, instead, she was balanced between his legs and cradled in one arm. Fili slouched comfortably in the saddle.

Meadow wasn't much of a distraction during riding, although she had picked it up alarmingly fast. His thoughts drifted to thinking about what else she'd pick up quickly, or knew already. She had never told him if she had been with a man before, and he didn't expect her to admit anything of the sort. Truthfully, he would have had little interest in her if she had said she had experience in the bedchamber. Fili sighed, these thoughts often led to painful situations and a cold swim in the river. He hadn't bothered with other lasses since he had started out trying to win over Meadow. This single mindedness often had those lasses believing that he planned to wed them, and made for awkward situations when his attention was diverted to a new lass.

He thought of the woman he had been paying attention to before he had seen Meadow, that one was an experienced courtesan and made her living going from one protector to the next, she had her sights on one of the four princes, and Fili was as good as his brother, uncle, or grandfather. She was not happy to find that he was wooing a younger, and admittedly, prettier, lass from the town on the lake. There could be some trouble there if the courtesan set eyes on Meadow and thought her a rival for protectors and connections.

"Fili?" Meadow whispered, she usually fell asleep when he had her ride with him.

"Yes?" Fili answered, nuzzling her cheek, and making her laugh lightly.

"When would be best to see the king?" Meadow asked, and wriggled a little, the position made her back ache.

"Perhaps after the fall festival. Would you like to ride pillion?" Fili offered, as Meadow came close to mashing some delicate parts of his anatomy. She settled, and shook her head.

"No, it's just been a long day, and I'm tired. The pressing was fun, once I got to join in." Meadow said with a grin, Fili chuckled, he had occupied most of her time, keeping her from helping as she had promised the other young women. She had finally gotten to join after Fili had wandered off to join the men in picking the green grapes.

The rest of the short ride was done in silence. It was conducive to private thought. But neither were giving to much thinking beyond what tonight meant to the other. Fili had hoped that it meant enough to Meadow so that she would reward him with all she had. Meadow was still undecided as to how to keep Fili at bay long enough for her to get the ingredients for the contraceptive tea. She needed just a few days, and then so long as she could brew the tea, she could invite Fili to her bed.

Fili reined in his pony outside Meadows' house and dismounted to help her dismount. He lingered there, with his hands on her hips, trying to coax her into a kiss. She kept turning away, she didn't like to be public with her affections. But it seemed not to matter to Fili, that tongues would wag, and not kindly when he was out of earshot.

"Please, Meadow. Don't turn me away tonight." Fili whispered in Meadow's ear. He managed to sound pleading and plaintive, enough that Meadow lost some of her will to say no.

"One more day yet, Fili." Meadow said, a refrain she had used numerous times on him, and this time like the last time, it made him groan and let Meadow go. She gave him an apologetic smile and opened the door, she was surprised to see her father at the table, sober and glaring. "Fili?" she called turning to him, he wasted no time in going inside, only to stop dead and glare back at her father. He glowered at Meadow.

"I can not catch a lucky break with you, can I?" Fili grumbled and sat down in a huff as Meadow laughed merrily at him. Her father eyed him darkly.

"Ale, the new cask." growled the older dwarf, and Meadow hurried to the kitchen. As soon as she was gone, he turned to Fili. "You'll do right by my girl. If you can't, you find a dwarf that will. I'm not going to be around much longer. Got lung sickness. Drink keeps me from coughing. She don't know. You don't tell her neither."

"Aye sir." Fili said a little shocked at the older dwarfs' admission. Meadow came in with two tankards of ale. Fili gave up hope that anything that involved a bed and Meadow at the same time would not be happening this night. After her father had gone off to his bed, early it seemed, Meadow saw Fili to the door and allowed him to kiss her goodnight.

"A few days are all I need. Then we can spend as much time together as you would like." Meadow said softly, surprised at her own forwardness, Fili's smile reached his ears and he kissed her again.

"I look forward to our next meeting then. Good evening, Meadow." Fili said, adding a third kiss for good measure, he mounted his pony and galloped off, stopping at the street corner to wave, before his pony tired of his antics and took them both back to his stable. Meadow smiled, and went inside to her own bed. She was inundated with dreams both good and bad.

Fili sat at breakfast the next morning, unusually chipper and animated. Kili kept an eye on his older brother, not sure what to make of him or his new attitude towards the women in the castle. Fili was walking on air, after Meadow had said she'd let him have her. Kili thought his brother was being foolish to fuss over one lass for so long. He had a string of maids and courtesans to keep him satisfied and it cost him very little of his princes allowance, to keep them around.

Kili watched as his brother cheerfully ate his meal and then announced that he was off to Dale. Thorin and Thrain watched him go, amused as much as Kili was with Fili's behaviour of late. Thror wasn't in attendance this day, his lungs had caused him trouble upon waking, so he had remained abed with his doctors to see to him. Kili got it into his head that maybe he should meet Meadow and find out just what it was about her, that had turned his brothers' head.

He should get to know her at the least, especially if she were to become a near constant fixture in the royal household. All he needed was an excuse to keep Fili out of the way for half a day. Kili began plotting, he was quite good at it, after a childhood spent with his brother and finding clever ways to get into trouble.

Fili hadn't gotten to Meadow's residence; he had stopped at the flower market, looking for her favourite flowers. Roses weren't in her short list of preferred blooms, but lilies were. He spotted several different colours of thick stemmed calla lilies and some delicate potted water lilies to be put in her back porch water garden. She also kept little fish in the water garden, but he couldn't remember what kind. So, he chose the water lilies and was off to visit with Meadow.

Meadow sat in the front porch with her embroidery, it was a new piece, her shoes having long since covered with the older pieces. She was working on a patch for Fili, his own crest of arms, passed to him by his father. Kili had earned his crest as Huntsman for the King, so he hadn't objected when Fili had taken up the crest of a brown bow and a black blade on a field of sky blue, and a chevron worked in silver thread for the background. All told, Meadow was pleased with how the crest was turning out. She was quite good at embroidery, better than most dwarven lasses, and no small number of human girls either.

She looked up, smiling, at the sound of a pony and her smile turned to dismay. The human who owned the house and was the landlord had turned up. He was imposing to a young woman no more than four feet tall, he being over six feet, and he enjoyed terrifying anyone who was smaller than him. Lately, he had begun to come around at unexpected times of the day and evening. Once turning up after her father had left her alone in the house.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Meadow asked, trying not to tremble visibly, and to keep the quaver out of her voice.

"You and yer lush da are evicted. Ge' out o' me house by th' end o' th' day. Or ye'll burn wif it." said the land lord. Now, to be clear, most people in Dale are good, kind folk, who would never do one another a bad turn, not even accidentally. But in every barrel, there are a few bad apples, and Meadow's father had found one when he first signed the lease to this particular house.

"But we've paid you for the rest of the month!" Meadow protested.

"I'm keeping' th' money as pay for what damage yer da did to th' place. And to try an' clean up th' reputation you put on th' place what wif you whoring for 'is majesty, th' prince." the man said snidely. "Yer ain't good nuff fer a prince, why I wouldn't touch yer wif a ten inch stick."

"Your stick is less than five inches. Your wife has said so many times. You just try to evict, or run my father and me off before the end of the month, and I'll have the constabulary down on your thick skull." Meadow snapped back, the man was quick, for all his posturing and casting about as if he was suffering palsy or the shakes from a hangover, he could move like a snake.

He slapped Meadow full in the face, as he would any woman he thought should be respectful of him, which in his mind, was all of them. Meadow felt the blow only for a moment, as her head struck the doorframe of the porch and knocked her quite unconscious. She was not to see Fili flying through the air and striking the man down with the hammer he carried only for show. He had left the landlord alive, and sent for the constables.

A doctor arrived and Meadow was taken to the castle. No one could find her father, but knew that he would turn up at some point. Fili ordered the removal of their things from the house and had them taken to the other side of town, to a house he kept for when living in the castle was unbearable. Usually when other royals arrived with unmarried daughters and nieces. He wouldn't be spending time with Meadow until her wound had healed and she and her father had found another house to rent. Fili would not keep his mistress and her father at the same time in his personal refuge.

Meadow came around a few hours after being struck, both the doctor and Fili were in the room with her, discussing her treatment. After the doctor had left, Fili explained what had happened after she had been struck

"So you see, I was very heroic." Fili said self importantly, and grinned when Meadow laughed weakly. "Does it hurt overmuch?" he asked when she wrinkled her brow in pain.

"My head is pounding, and my cheek feels afire." Meadow said, wincing, then grimacing with pain.

"Aye, you'll be black and blue and green come tomorrow. He struck you with all his strength. He didn't bother to hold back because you're a lass, and a wee one at that. I near shattered his skull when I saw him strike you. I wish I had." Fili said darkly, as he recalled leaping from his pony's back with his hammer already in his hands. It was a good thing that it wasn't made for use, the wooden stock had a flaw in it, hidden by the leather wrapped around it. The hammer had broken on impact with the human's skull, even though the blow itself knocked him senseless, the break had saved his life.

"I'm glad you didn't kill him. He'll stand trial for beating me, threatening my life, and unlawfully evicting us. You won't be jailed for murder. Prince though you are, even King Thror couldn't get away with murder in cold blood." Meadow said softly, she rolled onto her side and Fili lay down next to her.

"This is not what I meant when I imagined being in bed with you." Fili said with a grin, Meadow chuckled with him, and he stayed with her until she fell asleep.

Fili had to find her father, before he went back to the house and found it stripped bare, the dwarves Fili had hired had taken out everything that could be moved. Meadow would have to go through the store house and send back what belonged to the land lord. Fili found the old dwarf looking up at the house in confusion.

"Do I live here?" he asked Fili in a confused tone.

"No, old man, you live across town, in a finer house than this. Come, I'll show you the way home." Fili said politely, the old dwarf followed him and Fili found it difficult to understand how Meadow managed to cope with all the misfortune that fell into her lap. First, her mother passed away from sickness, then her father turned to drink to mask his illness, now the landlord had threatened to evict and had laid violent hands on Meadow.

Not to mention that Fili himself was always pressing her for more of her time, which took away from her only source of income. Now that he thought about it, she was looking a little thinner and less happy, lately. Perhaps, Fili could only think, that he himself was becoming a burden on poor Meadow, and she was doing the best she could with the little she had. Fili sighed, he hadn't been indulging a lass, he had been feeding his ego. She didn't take things from him because she couldn't pay him back with anything but her body. Fili didn't want Meadow beholden to him. He wanted her to want him as he wanted her. Something finally clicked in his mind, and he finally acknowledged that, in the process of trying to win Meadow to his bed, he had inadvertently fallen in love with her.

Fili stopped walking and smacked his head on a nearby fence post. He had done what he swore never to do. He had gotten himself into a pit he could climb out of. Meadows' father watched him beat his head on the post a few more times before wandering up to him.

"What's the matter lad?" asked the sodden old dwarf.

"I've gone and fallen in love with your daughter." Fili muttered, hoping the old dwarf hadn't heard. He had, his lungs were bad, not his hearing.

"She's a good lass, she'll make a good wife. She takes care of me a treat. She gave me her dinner the other night, and for a couple weeks now, she goes without a meal or two, just to make sure her old da has a full stomach to drink on." the old dwarf said, and went onwards, whistling a merry tune. Fili hoped that he wouldn't remember his admission. Of course, this didn't change his plans, he'd still bed Meadow, and say the pretty words she'd want to hear, but she would think he didn't mean them. And he could keep her s his mistress for years before marrying her and having bairns. Although if a baby came sooner than the wedding, he'd have no problem with legitimizing it and naming it as his heir. Fili smirked at his thoughts, he hadn't even taken her to his bed and he was already planning their family. He and Meadow's father reached the house and entered.

"You'll have to go straight to your bed. Meadow can't see you right now, she had a nasty fall this morning and is resting. The doctor will be here tomorrow to check on her. I'll be gone before noon, so you have to remain sober, for Meadow's sake." Fili said, as the old dwarf lumbered into the guest room and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the down pillows. Fili went to see to Meadow, and found her curled up on his bed, the cheek that wasn't bruised was turned upward, and Fili pressed a kiss to it, before sitting in the heavy reading chair he had pulled up for when the doctor had first examined her.

Fili sighed as he stared at her. Love had done strange things to him, he thought as he mulled over his actions in the past months. At first, it wasn't noticeable, he'd dallied with maids, and stayed out with his friends, sparred with his brother, and argued with his uncle. The first thing that really stuck in his mind, when he thought about it, was when he had taken a second look at Meadow in the red gown and noticed that she was not happy. Oh yes she had smiled at him and said she loved the gown, but he had seen that the smile did not reach her eyes and her eyes looked sad, a direct opposite to the words she had said. Fili thought hard about when he had proven that he was at leas falling in love, and could not come up with a single moment, until today, wherein he had proven love and not ardour was the driving force behind his actions. He fell asleep, planning to show her his feelings without actually telling her.

Kili had followed Fili from the moment he walked into the Hall before luncheon.

"Have a good night, brother?" Kili asked, then was surprised when Fili's face darkened.

"No. Meadow was attacked by her landlord yester morn. She and her da are staying in my town house until they can find better lodgings." Fili said, leaving out the part where he flew like an avenging angel to protect his lass. Kili did not.

"Really? I had heard the human had struck her after she mouthed off to him, and you all but shattered every bone in his body to protect your light skirt." Kili said nonchalantly, the back of his head met the floor most painfully. Fili straddled his brother and snarled at him.

"Meadow is not a light skirt. And nothing a woman does would ever warrant a blow like the one she received for mouthing off. I will allow you to remain unscathed this once, brother, but make no mistake. Should you ever be so crass as to refer to Meadow as anything other than the lad she is, this will seem paltry compared to what I would do." Fili growled and stood. Kili sat up and regarded his brother appraisingly.

"While I don't know what has befallen you, I do know it is serious, for you to take anyone's side over mine, it has to be more precious than your own brother." Kili observed, Fili immediately felt ashamed of himself for harming his brother.

"I believe I have fallen into a trap I set for Meadow. I started out wanting to woo her into my bed, and now I want to keep her there, forever. Marriage does not look so distasteful anymore." Fili groaned and sat down next to Kili, who wasted no time in wrestling him to the ground and forcing an apology out of him, before going back to their conversation.

"So, you've fallen in love with the lass. Will you marry her before she meets great grandfather, or after?" Kili asked, Thror was strict in the continuation of the royal lineage.

"I don't know if she'll even marry me yet. I only came to the realization last night, after she fell asleep in my arms, without my once laying a hand on her." Fili said. "Besides great grandfather may decide he wants her for himself."

"And would you do to him, what you did to me, just to keep your lass?" Kili asked quietly.

"I'd give up my claim to the throne." Fili said before realizing what he said. "I, yes, I would. She is worth that much."

"You would have to work for a living. You wouldn't receive the prince's pension. Great grandfather would be furious." Kili pointed out.

"Only if it comes to it, would I relinquish my birthright. I have my own money set aside, and any dwarf can work a forge. It's in our blood." Fili said, and sighed. "I do not like hard labour, it turns a man mean. Meadow deserves only the best." Kili started laughing, and Fili soon joined when he realized how lovesick he sounded. Their hard feelings purged, both young dwarfs went off on their own errands. Kili was being sent further and further away on diplomatic missions. It turned out he had as much a silver tongue as Fili had. Kili would be gone for several weeks.

Fili had to oversee the Durin Day festivities, after which Meadow would be presented to the King. Meadow had healed quite well, during the past few days, her head was healed, but the bruise on her cheek was still purple and green. She kept inside his house and refused to go out doors, unless absolutely necessary and even then she'd wear a scarf over her face. Fili had bought her a large selection of scarves to appease her. Fili knew her father had helped himself to the wine cellar Fili kept well stocked. He had thought long before to keep the rarer labels under lock and key. As he walked towards the fair grounds, Fili began to wonder if he should escort Meadow to the festivities, or remain alone.

Meadow watched as Fili approached the house, she was in the upstairs parlour, happily cleaning what she called a proper house. She wasn't sleeping in a child's bed as she had in the old rented house that was little more than a cottage compared to the two story wood and brick hose Fili had brought her to. She was certain the room she was in was his, and he was only waiting until she was fully recovered from her ordeal. She had until the bruise faded completely for Fili to start pressing his suit again.

Fili looked up and saw Meadow watching him from upstairs, he lifted his hand in a wave, she looked at him, then smiled and waved back. Fili grinned, she was waiting for him. He had her put into his bed chamber, since the guest rooms were furnished with only beds and empty otherwise. Meadow had remarked on this, and Fili had only shrugged, and said he didn't like to entertain in the house since most of his acquaintances were dwarven and preferred to be underground as well as be in the presence of the king and his court. Fili had offered to furnish the rest of the house, and hire more staff than just the housekeeper and his butler.

Meadow had demurred and had taken over cooking and cleaning for herself and her father. She knew now that he was very ill and wouldn't last more than five years. The dwarf doctor had seen the signs, and knew her father from when he worked in the coal and diamond mines himself. Now that she knew about her father's sickness, she was sinking into despair; the world wasn't kind to an unmarried lass with little to her name but the attention of a prince only looking for a mistress. After Fili lost interest in her, she wasn't sure what to do. Winter was coming and she was sure Fili would be bored with her by then and turn her out to make room for his next conquest.

These thoughts were increasing in her mind and made her too worried to eat, and had her looking pensive, which is what Fili had already noticed and had increased his attentiveness, almost force-feeding her any and all delicacies he could find. She was flattered with his attempts, but still she wondered and worried.

Fili had entered the house and had gotten upstairs to the room Meadow sat in, now thinking these thoughts. He came up behind her and hugged her round the waist, making her cry out in surprise, before twisting to face him with a smile.

"What had you looking so saddened?" Fili asked, nuzzling under Meadow's ear and enjoying the rosewater scent of her hair.

"My father is dying, and I don't know what I'm to do after he passes." Meadow said, pulling away from Fili and his attention. He pouted for a moment, then followed her to the kitchen.

"He's asked me to take care of you after he's passed." Fili said quietly. "I'll do what I can to help you find happiness." he left out that he'd hoped she'd stay with him as his long term mistress, and quite possibly the mother of his children.

"I don't want to put you out anymore than you already have. A marriage to an acceptable dwarf who will treat me well would suffice." Meadow said, avoiding Fili's gaze, which had hardened.

"You won't stay with me?" Fili asked in a small voice, shocked at Meadow's attitude.

"You won't keep me forever. A mistress has a short shelf life, especially in court. At least, being your mistress, another less connected dwarf would consider that a good thing." Meadow said with a shrug. She didn't want such to happen, but she had to remain realistic. "And no prince marries his mistress. You've even told me that you don't wish to marry for a very long time." she added, her throat closed up at that and she could no longer talk,

Fili kept his gaze on his plate, now going untouched as he processed what Meadow had said to him. Perhaps she wasn't in love with him, and was using him to better her position in life.

"I am no longer hungry." Fili growled and left the house, almost running away from the sudden ache in his chest. Meadow watched him leave, wondering why he looked so angry. She sighed and tipped both their plates into the slop bucket. She had lost her appetite as well, for Fili hadn't disagreed with her.

Fili stayed away for days, he couldn't stand to look at Meadow until the pain had ebbed enough for him to breathe again. He knew she had to plan for her future, every woman had to. He didn't go back until his steward rushed to the castle, and informed him that Meadow's father was dying. Fili headed back to the town and found the doctor at the old dwarf's bedside. The doctor told him that the old dwarf was further along in the sickness than he had told everyone. Meadow was also at her father's bedside, and had tears streaming down her round cheeks.

"Me lass. Don't cry. I'll be seeing yer mum soon. You lads out. I needs must speak to my lass." said the old dwarf hoarsely. Fili and the doctor nodded and left the room. "My lass, my Meadowsweet. Yer ma, she never let what other's think bother her. 'Tis why she woulda borne ye outta wedlock and kicked me in the hammer and anvil afterwards. Don't let th' world tell ye who at love. That lad out there, he told me he's gone and fallen in love with you. He thought I was dead drunk that night. But yer old da learned at hold his drink. Now, th' matter of yer dowry and inheritance." the dwarf said and struggled to sit up.

"There isn't anything left. You've spent it all." Meadow said, surprised at her father's admissions.

"There's plenty left. I made meself forget till it was necessary. Fetch ye pen and paper. Start writing. Now ye didn't send back my bed frame did ye." he asked.

"No da. Mum told me you made that yourself. My bed was the property of the landlord." Meadow said, her father nodded.

"Good, now listen. This may be the last thing I tell ye. The headboard had dragons carved into it. Ye press all four at the same time and a trap door is opened." he began to explain.

"That head board is five feet across. I can't press all the heads myself." Meadow protested.

"Tis why ye will need that lad out there. The whole frame has to be intact or ye'll need an axe to get anywhere. Now, after the trapdoor is open, ye take the key to my side of the bed, and use it in the key hole. There'll be a shingle with more instructions to tell ye where yer inheritance is kept. I deliberately forgot, and let the drink addle me memories." he sighed and lay back down. "That lad will take care of you, and you'll do the same. He won't marry ye right away, you'll have to be patient. Just don't lose hope." Meadow watched as her father went into a coughing fit, and shrieked for the doctor.

Both the doctor and Fili burst in. The old man grabbed Fili and managed to choke out a few words to him, before he heaved a rattling sigh and died. Meadow burst into tears and fell to her knees as the doctor examined her father's body. Fili carried Meadow out of the room and held her tight as she cried. He knew and understood her loss. Nothing made the pain go away. Fili could only hold her and whisper condolences to her as she sobbed.

"Would you let me prepare the funeral? He'll be interred under the mountain with your ancestors." Fili offered when Meadow had finally recovered enough to speak. His hand stroked her still bruised cheek lightly, removing a last tear.

"I have ancestors under the mountain?" Meadow asked blankly.

"Aye, your da was a genius. After he first cracked open a gas pocket and got the lung sickness, he turned to jewel smelting." Fili said with a grin at Meadows blank look. "He found the only way to melt gemstones and pour them into moulds without losing their integrity. He was a rich dwarf. All his wealth was kept in trust in the vaults. His cousin has been hoping you'd never turn up to claim your birthright." Fili said.

"I have family and a fortune?! Da never said anything about family or fortune." Meadow said, and he gave me this. Said it was my inheritance." Meadow showed Fili the crumpled sheet of paper with the instructions. "And now I have family."

"No you don't have family. Before your da left the hall, his da disowned him. His remaining family still holds to this. You were never accepted by your grandfather and he died with his only son disowned for marrying a human woman. Your fortune is yours and you have a year to claim it before it reverts to the next oldest male in your father's family." Fili explained quietly. "Of course the Crown can hold it for longer, for no reason other than you are scared of being killed for the money."

"Let's bury my da first before we turn to greed." Meadow said, charmed yet again by Fili's easy grin.

"Aye. Yer da asked me to take care of ye." Fili said, repeating himself from a few weeks ago.

"Is that what he said to you, before he…?" Meadow choked on the words before she could speak them.

"No. I'll tell ye what he said after he's burned and buried. He wanted to be interred with yer mum. But she's in a humans only graveyard." Fili said, her father had demanded that Fili take care of his final arrangements.

"So why not spread his ashes over her grave?" Meadow suggested.

"The human caretaker would pitch a mighty fit." Fili said with a wry grin.

"Dig up her casket and cremate the both of them together?" Meadow said after a moment of thought. "Then put all the ashes into one urn and inter them both under the mountain."

"You have a head for problem solving, don't you?" Fili asked admiringly.

"I can grow truffles and dig them faster than the prized pigs. How do you think I managed to do that if I wasn't clever?" Meadow asked with a real smile. Fili actually laughed at her proud smile.

The funeral was attended by all who knew the old dwarf, and presided over by the King's own jeweller, who had gotten rich through the work of Meadows father. He had paid a small fortune for the right to the process, and paid a small portion of each sale of poured jewellery. The portion was small enough to be negligible enough for the jeweller to keep paying into the trust after the dwarf had left his old home and family for the town of Dale. Meadow was still to be presented to the king, but now she had another reason to go into the Mountain. Fili had had her old household moved into an above ground storehouse, and Durin's Day was only a week away. After the funeral, Fili had taken Meadow back to his town house and sat with her while she cried one last time.

"Feeling better now?" Fili asked sympathetically. Meadow wiped her face and nodded. "We'll go to the store house tomorrow and look for the bed frame. It was one solid piece. The porters had trouble getting it up into the storehouse." Fili continued.

"What did my father say to you before he died?" Meadow asked bluntly, Fili choked on his wine.

"He told me to tell you something every day until you believed me." Fili said slowly.

"What?" Meadow prompted.

"I'm not sure I quite believe it yet myself. When I do, I'll tell you. Until then, please be patient." Fili asked, pulling Meadow into a hug.

"My patience won't last forever Fili." Meadow said, then found Fili kissing her.

Fili could wait no longer, he needed Meadow like he needed water. It was a very real and physical need. Her belief in him trumped his earlier doubt that she didn't love him. Fili picked her up and carried her to his room. The timing was off, but he planned on having a lifetime to make up this slight. Meadow didn't fight him, and let him haul her like a sack of potatoes to the bed. He set her down, still kissing her and attempting to remove his tunic. Meadow pulled back, letting him remove his tunic, revealing a well-muscled chest with a generous covering of red gold hair. Meadow found herself grinning and reached to feel Fili's chest hair with a high-pitched giggle. Fili let her stroke his chest and grinned himself as her hands followed the downward facing triangle of hair.

Fili reached for Meadow, slipping her sleeve caps off her shoulders and reaching for the strings that tied her bodice up the front of her chest. She had worn the blue dress that he had bought her for her presentation. He had agreed to her idea, that it was best that she appear in her best clothes, so none of her father's disowned family would think she was living in squalor and would squander her inherited fortune. Meadow batted Fili's clumsy fingers away from the laces, they were silk, and he had a habit of breaking laces whenever they had spent time together.

Fili groaned deeply as he watched Meadow untie and remove her bodice, leaving her blouse and skirt. Fili wanted nothing more than two remove the rest of her dress with extreme prejudice. He settled for tugging Meadow's blouse down, revealing her breasts, and trapping her arms for a few moments. She wriggled free, only to have Fili push her down onto the bed and bury his face in her breasts. He did this whenever she allowed him to lay hands on her. Meadow squeaked in pleasure when Fili sucked the nipple into his mouth and nibbled it gently. He worked her dress off and got his clothes off. Meadow sat in her undergarments that Fili hadn't removed. He had an extreme dislike for any undergarments, including those made for his own backside.

Fili covered Meadow's body with his own, he pressed into her, kissing her neck and working his way down between her breasts. Meadow put her arms around Fili, and kept her hands on his head, one on the back of his head and the other under his chin to pull him up for a kiss while he plied her body with pleasurable kisses and caresses.

"You're sure lass?" Fili growled, when Meadow wriggled and pushed her hips against his, and squeezed his buttocks insistently.

"I can't wait forever, Fili." Meadow said faintly. Fili dropped his forehead to her breastbone and sighed. He sat on his knees and slid his hands down to Meadows hips, slipping his hands under her undergarment and slid it off down her legs to her knees. He kissed her knee, making Meadow smile at him, he read that smile as wanton and tugged the small garment off.

Fili nudged Meadows legs open and settled himself between them. Meadow could feel his need pressing against the dip between her leg and hip. She lifted her leg and wrapped it around Fili's lower back, this was a common occurrence when they'd had a night full of wine and flirting. Fili took the hint and set himself to take Meadow as his. Meadow had a moment of fear.

"Don't tense up, love. Try to relax. It won't hurt but for a moment." Fili said soothingly, Meadow nodded and gasped as Fili broke through her last bit of resistance. Fili grunted and pushed himself through Meadow's maidenhead, drawing a squeal of pain from her. He tried to stop himself, but taking a virgin was heady and overly stimulating for him. He lost his control, thrust several times and released his seed. Meadow felt his release and worried, that she had not pleased Fili enough.

"Fili?" Meadow said with a quaver in her tone.

"Tis alright, my love. I lost my head. You could bring any man to his knees. I need a short while to recover. Then we shall try again." Fili said with a shuddering breath. He hadn't come first since he first went to a brothel as a young man. He pulled away from Meadow and searched for his pipe, Meadow made a face, she didn't like pipes or the smoke that came from them. "I'll only smoke after we've shared our bed, or when I'm not in your presence, alright?"

"I can't believe that inhaling smoke is good for your lungs. Have you never seen smoked meat? It's all dried up and shrivelled. But if that's the best you can offer, then I suppose it'll have to do." Meadow said, with a sniff and turning away, Fili chuckled while Meadow allowed herself a bit of a snit.

"You become a shrew when your pleasure is denied, did you know that?" Fili asked and got a light slap on his chest for being less than flattering. Fili shook the large bed with his laughter. Meadow snuggled against Fili, and laid her head and hand on his chest, as she watched him blow smoke rings and little puffs to shoot through the rings. He put out his pipe and rolled over to face Meadow. He dropped a kiss on her forehead, she had fallen asleep waiting for him to fulfill his promise. He allowed himself to fall asleep, to await either the dawn or Meadow's awakening.

Meadow woke some time between midnight and dawn, and hurried to the privy. She needed a moment to herself. She didn't realize that she has woken Fili when she jumped from the bed. She had grabbed a nightshirt she had made herself. She had to suffer long skirts and tight bodices during the day, she couldn't tolerate them at night. She had taken one of her mother's old blouses and cut it till it hung to her thighs, and hemmed it so that it did not flare. The neckline was high with a border of embroidery and the old sleeves removed so that only the holes remained, leaving her arms bare to the shoulder, with the long neckline as straps. There were no buttons to close it, as the shift was more a slim white sack, with a wide neck and narrow bottom. Meadow came out of the privy to lamplight and Fili staring at her with hooded eyes. She froze in a sudden fright, and he motioned her forward. He sat on the edge of the bed, nude nose to toes, his preferred way of sleeping.

"Remove that." was all Fili said, Meadow did as told and pulled the neckline down over her arms and let it slip off her body as the bottom hem was too tight to go over her shoulders without some ungainly contortions. Fili held out his arms to Meadow once her nightdress fell to the floor in a small drift of white linen. She walked to him, and he pulled her onto his lap, making sure she was straddling his lap.

It didn't take either of them long to begin enjoying their exertions again, and this time Fili was sure he'd have Meadow screaming in pleasure before long. He was not to disappoint her again. Fili laid her on the bed and was within her quickly, thrusting with some force, trying not to hurt her again. He felt Meadow wrap her legs around his hips and press her heels into his buttocks, driving him to thrust deeper and harder, till Meadow arched her back and let out a scream. Fili wasn't done, and kept up his pace, making Meadow cry out in absolute pleasure at least twice more, before he reached release. He shuddered and leaned on his elbows above Meadow, and smiled as he panted. Meadow gasped as she tried to recover from the intensity of the pleasure she had endured.

"Thank you." Fili sighed and smiled wider.

"What?" Meadow asked blankly, looking at Fili strangely. Fili chuckled and settled into the bed, pulling Meadow to his side. "Why would you thank me?"

"You gave me everything you had. It seemed right to express my gratitude." Fili said with a shrug. Meadow giggled and kissed his cheek.

"You are very welcome." Meadow said with a laugh, which turned into a shriek of laughter as Fili nuzzled his nose into her neck and began tickling her. They played around until the play became loving again. Fili was quite proud of himself, as Meadow slept, worn out by his attention. Fili remembered that he had to oversee Durin Day in less than a week. Fall was a brief time, but one of plenty. And he had to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. He fell asleep before dawn broke and both slept until midday.

When Fili finally awoke, it was to an empty bed. He looked about, Meadow's dress was brushed and hung on the hook, and the bed had been straightened around him. There was a pot of tea, under a knitted cozy waiting for him, and some toast, still slightly warm. It was a way to wake him up. He could also smell bacon and more toast, as a faint aroma, meaning it was still cooking and in the kitchen where Meadow had breakfast. Fili pulled on pants, and drank most of the tea and shoved the toast in his mouth, it stifled the hunger gnawing at his backbone long enough for him to dress and get to the kitchen. He found Meadow dancing around humming a bright tune and putting plates of fried eggs, rashers of bacon, fried ham, toast, and stacks of pancakes on the table. There was butter, sliced fruit and berries, and sweet syrup on the table as well.

"Tell me why I am not marrying you immediately?" Fili asked, his eyes wide at the sight of the food.

"Because you prefer freedom to captivity. Also, you prefer to let staff that don't care over much for one individual's tastes, do all your cooking, rather than have one person to make sure you get to eat what you want." Meadow replied pertly. Fili grinned and pulled her into his lap when she came within reach. "So, where do we go from here?" Meadow asked sweetly.

"Back to bed. I have no requirements to my time today, beyond my duties for Durin Day. The committee has it well in hand, and needs me only for the opening ceremony. Thus, they do not require me to be present for something they have planned for fifty years." Fili said, as he tucked into his breakfast, Meadow had gotten free of him and had sat down at her seat to eat.

They kept catching the other staring, and Meadow would blush whenever Fili caught her. He grinned cheekily and tilted his head, when he was finished eating and leaned back in his chair. Meadow finished eating before he had and had already begun removing empty platters, the housekeeper and steward would clean up. Now that she was fully, Fili's mistress, she no longer had to clean, the servants would do it, and Fili didn't mind having Meadow in his town house, going there was like being welcomed home after being imprisoned. Meadow treated him like the prince he was, until he irritated her enough to fray her temper and spark her quick tongue. She had also gotten into the habit of slapping him, gently and with no force, usually reserved for when he was being particularly cheeky in public. Fili enjoyed her temper as much as he enjoyed her gentleness.

The next few hours were indeed, spent in the bedchamber, as Fili taught Meadow more about making love than she had thought possible. Afterwards, he bade her dress, she was to accompany him to the store house to find what her father had hidden in his bed frame. Fili's townhouse didn't have a stable or even a yard for his pony, so he had it stabled near the towns gate. They walked in the pleasantly brisk air, for a short while before reaching the stables and fetching Fili's pony.

"Do you think the king will want to see me today?" Meadow asked, she rode pillion, with her arms around Fili.

"Grandfather has not been feeling quite himself lately. He has a touch of lung illness too. His father had him learn to work the mines when he was young. So did Kili, Thorin, and I." Fili said with a shrug. "He may want to, but he also wants a lot of your white truffles. Since you have none with you today, it is doubtful he'll see you." The rest of the ride was spent in near silence. Since it was a short trip, no more than an hour, this wasn't as dismal as it sounded. Fili would pat Meadow's hand and she'd squeeze his chest in a hug, and that was the extent of their communication for the moment. A stable hand took the pony when they arrived at the hall, and a page ran out to greet them.

"His majesty, the king, wishes to see you immediately, Prince Fili. The Crown Prince said it's about your refusal to honour a betrothal your father made when he was in Moria." said the page in a fearful rush, Fili looked angered.

"The girl went missing! I didn't refuse the wedding, she ran away!" Fili yelled.

"Injured your pride, did she?" Meadow asked slyly, Fili snorted.

"I would have refused the marriage anyway." Fili said dismissively and headed to the great hall with Meadow hurrying after him, nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Fili strode into the great hall, immediately adopting the proper posture and presence of a Prince of the Royal Family.

"Uncle, Grandfather. What is this about me breaking a betrothal?" Fili demanded, knowing better than to address his great grandfather directly with his question.

"The lord whose step daughter you were to marry, has decided to send his own sister and her daughter for you to approve and marry." said Thrain, he didn't look impressed with the news, and held a letter out to his grandson. "The King has allowed the travel, we have plenty of rich nobles around here for the women to husband hunt."

"If the girl has been told that she will be marrying a prince in the direct line, she won't settle for anything less than a crown, no matter how displaced it is from the throne." Thorin muttered darkly. The older woman was obviously meant to get him as her husband, Thrain had refused to marry again. Any child other than Thorin would be in direct competition for the throne. A wife would insist her children were better choices, and would enjoy being the King's mother.

"I have never insisted on any but my own son marries well. I will have no illegitimate children claimed and set on my throne." said Thror loudly, and coughed. "No bastard will be allowed to rule. I spent my life working to secure this kingdom, and it will not be undone by the stubbornness and vindictiveness of family that is not united in the goal to rule this land well. Fili, the girl will arrive before the castle is closed for winter. You will either marry by then, or marry her in the spring. Kili, you will find a bride by next Durin Day. Have I made myself clear? Who is that lass trying to hide behind you lad?!" Thror's voice had turned from angry to amused, even though he still shouted at Fili.

"Marry by winter's snow?! Grandfather! Uncle? If I have to marry, then so must Thorin as well as Kili!" Fili snapped, Thorin looked ready to remove Fili's head and Kili was still trying to dislodge a piece of his lunch from his lungs, he had swallowed wrong when Thror had ordered him to find a wife. Thrain was desperately trying to contain his laughter and failing.

"Thorin will marry eventually. But wives will settle your trouble making ways. I won't have another lass in here screaming that one of you fathered her child when it's plain that the child is no get of yours." Thrain said, getting his laughter under control. "Introduce the girl."

"Her name is Meadow, she's the lass who sells the finest truffles in Dale." Fili said with a bow and unceremoniously shoved Meadow in front of him, where she stood frozen. "Curtsy." Fili hissed quietly.

"I can't move." Meadow whispered back. Fili shook his head, and abruptly shouldered Meadow into a half bow, and getting a startled squawk out of her as well. He grunted when her shoe found his shin. Thorin, Thrain, and Thror were all grinning, and Kili was chuckling nearly hysterically at the show.

"She's the daughter of Brun Gemforge. The dwarf who found the way to smelt and pour gems in moulds to create flawless figures, without ruining the stones with a cutters' blade." Fili explained.

"So she is here to claim her father's fortune?" Thrain asked, examining Meadow carefully.

"Well, now that you bring it up, yes. She's also looking for something her father left her." Fili admitted.

"How came you to know the daughter of Gemforge?" Thror asked with a raised brow.

"She… she uh…" Fili stammered, at a loss of words, which raised suspicions in all the older men, for he had a silver tongue that never lost its shine.

"She's his betrothed. He didn't want to marry a spoiled little lord's daughter, and he's been courting her all summer. She must have finally agreed to marry him, if she's looking for her dowry." Kili said quickly, and looking unconcerned, in an effort to convince his relatives that he was telling the truth.

"Excellent. We'll have a wedding, come spring. Then we'll see what to do about Kili." Thror said, and chuckled when Kili flopped over the arm of his chair with a loud groan. "Did you think I had forgotten lad? Now, off to the vaults with you. Or wherever you had planned." Thror laughed as Kili slid off his chair and under the table.

"The storehouse Grandfather. Her father was a particularly crafty sort of dwarf. He hid away instructions for Meadow to find. She's fulfilling his last wish by doing this." Fili said and bowed.

"Do you know what happened to his greatest work girl?" Thrain asked. "A statuette of a dragon made of poured diamond. No one could figure out how he managed to pour diamond. Lesser gems as rubies and sapphires, yes, but not the diamonds."

"I only found out what my father did on his deathbed. What secrets he had, died with him." Meadow said with a helpless shrug. Kili poked his head out from under the table and mimed something to Fili before sliding back under. Meadow looked at Fili questioningly. Fili hustled Meadow out of the hall and hurried her up stairs and down corridors.

"What was your brother saying to you?" Meadow asked quietly.

"That I owe him half your dowry for saving my neck." Fili said, as he unlocked a storeroom with an iron key.

"Half!" Meadow gasped in shock.

"Aye. A small price to pay for not having a marriage forced on me, and not having my mistress thrown out of the castle in disgrace. Grandfather doesn't approve of having a woman without being married to her. He knows it's a part of life, but that won't stop him from throwing the man in jail and tossing the courtesan into the street. He knows we aren't betrothed. But he'll accept your presence in the castle, so long as we keep up the pretence." Fili explained with a shrug, he did that a lot, never having had to explain himself to anyone very often.

"What am I supposed to live on after you've grown tired of me and set me aside?" Meadow asked stricken. Fili froze and shot a look at Meadow.

"I haven't gotten tired of you yet." Fili said softly.

"But when you do…!" Meadow persisted almost frantically.

"If, if I get tired of you." Fili said calmly. "If I should tire of you, I will make sure you have enough to sustain a modest house for a year at the least." Fili said, he knew Meadow's worst fear was being left destitute, she couldn't have managed to keep her father alive and feed them both if she was always spending money on things she didn't need. Fili had indulged the part of her that wanted all the lovely little things she had seen other girls get, but he knew she regretted every copper piece he had spent. He was certain she had kept a tally of all the purchases he had made on her behalf.

You've all made it this far. Thank you for sticking with this story. I would appreciate some more reviews, if you please. Thank you, Whackedgourd


	2. There Was A Lass

They searched around until they found the bed frame, it was still intact, with a sheet of wood creating a box to hold the feather mattress. It also disguised the hidden compartment below the flat. Fili looked at the sheet of instructions, then looked at the headboard quizzically.

"Your father had a dirty mind." Fili said dryly, Meadow giggled, he was right. The heads of the dragons were set so that neither of them could press more than two at a time. It also took a great deal of strength to push on the heads. Fili took one side of the headboard and Meadow the other. They pushed the heads in and heard a clunk. Fili felt for the popped hatch and pulled out the key, then hunted for the keyhole. He found it under the spot where a head would lay on the pillow, and put the key on the hole, then turned it. There was a metallic grinding and a part of the headboard popped out. Meadow reached into the small box and pulled out a leather pouch and a shingle with Dwarven Runes on it.

"I can't read this." Meadow said, handing the shingle to Fili.

"This is ancient. Your father was a genius if he could read and write in runic." Fili said studying the instructions. "Perhaps Balin will translate this for you." Fili suggested.

"Who?" Meadow asked as she tried to unknot the strings to the bag. Fili handed her his belt knife to cut the strings. "Who is…Oh my." Meadow trailed off as she held out what appeared to be a dragon made of crystal clear glass.

"The Diamond Dragon. Your father's greatest creation." Fili said in awe as he looked at the statuette.

"It's my dowry." Meadow pointed out, handing Fili the dragon.

"It's fit for a queen's dowry. The King would trade Thorin, Thrain, Kili, and I for that dragon. It was made to hold the Arkenstone in its wings. See how they curve to form a cradle?" Fili said, handling the dragon carefully. "Keep it in that bag. Don't let it out of your sight or your hands. Unless you plan on buying a husband with it." he said with a grin. Meadow didn't smile back, she was staring at the shingle.

"He said, my dowry and my inheritance. He would have mentioned the vault if he thought there was a chance it was untouched. Where is my inheritance?" Meadow asked, holding up the shingle. Fili felt his breath leave him in relief, she wasn't considering buying a husband.

"Let's go see Balin. He'll translate that for you." Fili said, and led Meadow from the storehouse.

"Well, Master Fili. It's good to see you again. Here to finish that last assignment I gave you?" Balin asked with an indulgent smile.

"I have something for you to do, actually. How is your Dwarven Runic?" Fili asked brightly, Balin gave him an odd look and sat down at his desk. Fili motioned to Meadow and she put the bag with the diamond dragon. Balin looked amused then visibly shaken when he saw the dragon.

"How did you get this? It's been missing for over a hundred years." Balin gasped in shock.

"How old was my father?" Meadow asked, mentally adding up the age she thought he had been and what Balin had just said.

"Nearing the end of his lifetime even without the lung sickness. Balin said with a nod. "He was a good friend of mine. Often asking my thoughts on how gems and metals would react with heat and chemicals. He had great ideas that almost always proved fruitful." Balin would have continued waxing on about his old friend, but Meadow handed him the shingle. He had stood up and then sat down again, then stood grabbed a sheet of paper and a quill and began to write as he translated the shingle. A couple of tears pattered onto the paper before he could stop them.

"Your father knew I was proficient in the ancient runes of our people. This is an explanation of how he came up with the formula for melting the gems, and the diamonds. He was a genius when it came to things like this. Yet he was always so modest. That was why, when his parents arranged a marriage with a princess, he ran from the hall. Leaving the princess to marry Fili's father." Balin said with a grin at the goggle eyed looks on both Meadow and Fili's faces.

"You didn't think the King would let a talent like that get away did you? He was livid when he found out Brun had taken off and then found out he was to be a godfather to Brun's half-breed child. I think it was the only time I ever saw Thror both livid and happy beyond reason. Thror wanted a daughter as much as his sons. You were only brought by a few times long before your mother passed and your father was occupied with keeping you fed and his sickness under control." Balin said wiping his cheeks. "He was my great good friend. To see his child and his greatest achievement in the same room, is more than I can bear at the moment. Send for tea, if you please, Fili."

"Of course Teacher." Fili said with a slight bow and went into the corridor to send a servant to the kitchens. Balin looked after him and then grabbed Meadow.

"Keep this close. It's your inheritance. Don't let anyone take it from you. You could get almost anything in this mountain just for this secret." Balin whispered furtively and shoved both the shingle and the paper into Meadows hands, "If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask me. It would be my pleasure to help Brun's only child." Balin said, and sent Meadow on her way with Fili, not bothering to invite themselves to Balin's teatime.

Fili kept casting glances at the paper in Meadow's hands. She wouldn't let him see it or touch it, and she had put it in the pouch with the statuette. The shingle was kept out of reach and she kept quiet, thinking over what Balin had told her. They walked to Fili's apartment and sat in the small library he kept.

"What did Balin tell you about the instructions?" Fili asked, after ringing a bell for food.

"He said to keep it safe and out of sight until I need it." Meadow said, she has gotten into the habit of telling Fili everything, he could ferret out secrets faster than anyone else she knew. Fili nodded approvingly.

"I thought you should know, your old landlord is going on trial soon. Do you wish to attend?" Fili said, diverting the topic of discussion neatly.

"No, I've had more than enough of that foul creature. Let him hang." Meadow said darkly, she still hadn't forgotten or forgiven what the man had done to her.

"I thought as much. I'll send someone to testify on your behalf." Fili said and suddenly found himself smiling at Meadow. She was curled up in the padded leather chair, quite snug, and reading the stack of books he had left the last time he had been in his library.

Fili pulled out his pipe, grinned at the dark look Meadow gave it, and went to the other room to smoke. He heard Meadow's derisive sniff as he left the room.

Meadow returned to Fili's townhouse late that evening, an occurrence that would have the neighbours tongues wagging. She sighed and locked the door behind her. She'd have to put up with rumours now that she was actually Fili's mistress. Her life would be difficult for a fair long while. But she had the lifespan of a dwarf and could outlive the rumours. She climbed into bed, alone. Fili had been called to attend to his duties in the castle. A low ranked guard had seen Meadow home.

Fili sat at supper with his family, wondering if he could leave before midnight and get to Dale for some time with Meadow, before he had to attend the last meeting for Durin Day. It would be only a few hours, but he found sleeping between warm sheets relaxing now that the air was getting cold. He was preoccupied with Durin Day and what to do with Meadow. After the first blizzard, the Kingdom under the Mountain closed up, only a few supply trains and hunting parties were allowed. He knew it would be difficult to visit Meadow more than once or twice a week. His great grandfather would not allow a mistress into the private sanctum of his family.

He didn't get to visit Meadow until the next day and he still had no plan for what to do. She needed a real reason to leave the townhouse for the winter and he needed one to bring her under the mountain and settle her into his household. She was in the kitchen with the housekeeper, going over the days menu. The housekeeper had warmed up considerably after word had come from the castle staff that Meadow was Fili's fiancé. Fili had been late, he had stopped in the market and picked up some flowers for Meadow.

Meadow beamed at Fili when he walked into the kitchen with a bouquet of wildflowers and ivy. The housekeeper produced a vase to put the flowers in, while Fili and Meadow went into the sitting room to talk.

"Will you move under the mountain for the winter? You'll be in my household, so no one can interfere with you. Not without my consent, and that is not forthcoming." Fili asked, taking a cup of tea from the tray the housekeeper had brought in. Meadow sat next to him on the settee, and accepted her cup from Fili.

"I don't know what to say. I've lived my whole life out of the mine. I'm more like my mother than my father. I would miss the openness of being above ground." Meadow said quietly. "Would we be able to come out to the town every so often?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course. We wouldn't be prisoners. We could come to the house for the holidays, and spend the worst of the winter, warm and snug underground." Fili said.

"Most dwarf babies are born in the summer and early fall." Meadow observed with a sigh. Fili missed the sigh, and chuckled in amusement.

"Some are born even earlier than that. But yes, we would spend a lot of time between the sheets. Which are silk from the south. I have the softest wool blankets and linen coverlets. Silk covered feather pillows." Fili said, trying to persuade Meadow.

"We have all that here." Meadow said with a smile, Fili grinned and hugged Meadow to him. "I'll go under the mountain with you." Meadow said, giving Fili what he wanted. She would just stock up her supply of contraceptive herbs. She was slowly losing herself in trying to keep Fili happy, and it was starting to hurt when he thought only of himself.

Fili got out of bed, he had carried Meadow upstairs after she agreed to move under the mountain, and had spent the afternoon in bed. He had seen the wistful look Meadow had given the flowers a few days before and had thought to surprise her, but she hadn't looked more than twice at them and her demeanour had changed. She was no longer bright and bubbly, she was more calm and reserved now. It wasn't a bad change, but he was beginning to miss Meadow's spontaneity. There were no more nights spent in front of the fire, no spur of the moment picnics on the roof, and no truffle hunting in the mornings. She was spending all her time taking care of the house or him. Fili sat in his chair to think. Meadow needed more to do than just wait for him to come around every few days. He would make her the head of staff for his household under the mountain. She would have work during the day and he wouldn't bother her until the evening. They wouldn't be able to sit at meals together, unless they shared breakfast, which was when she would have to go over the house business and expenses.

Meadow woke up the morning of Durin Day, and stretched luxuriously. She had gained some weight since Fili had taken her in, and it showed when he stroked her backside as she got out of bed.

"No, my darling. There is too much to do. You have to get to the castle and get into your royal robes. I have to get to the market before it closes for the festival. I'll see you at the festival." Meadow said, pulling out of Fili's reach before he could haul her back into bed. Fili pouted, but climbed out of bed as well. He left no more than an hour later after a hurried breakfast in the kitchen. Meadow didn't have to go to the market, she just wanted time to enjoy the outdoors before having to be shut up in the Kingdom under the Mountain. As she walked about, she had her purchases billed to Fili's household accounts. She went over them every month, finding a mountain of inaccuracy, and put the books in proper order. An under steward had been fired for embezzling from Fili's in house safe that held the servants wages and the rest of the money left for running the house. That was the first and only time Meadow had seen Fili outraged at having his trust breached, especially since the young dwarf had been recommended to him by Balin himself.

Meadow held a small shopping basket and was headed towards the festival grounds. She had left not long after Fili to harvest probably the last truffles she could find before winter set in. She had only half filled her basket and had returned to the town. She was walking up a small arch bridge as she headed for the festival grounds, a group of raucous young dwarves were headed towards her. They were laughing uproariously and jostling each other. Meadow veered off to the side of the bridge and waited for the young dwarves to pass by. One of them recognized Meadow.

"Hey! It's the truffle girl!" one of them said loudly and pointed at Meadow. The others looked at her and immediately converged on her.

"I heard she uses her nose to find those mushrooms." said another with a grin.

"I heard she used it to catch herself a rich protector. Like our good friend Prince Fili." sneered another.

"She used more than her nose. Didn't you hear him the other evening? Boasting and bragging about her needs." said the last dwarf, leering at Meadow and leaning into her personal space. "Makes you wonder what he hasn't told us. You know how he is when he gets a new girl. Hides her for a few months and then dumps her on one of us once he gets bored. He'll replace her before the humans new year."

"I'll take her off his hands. If only for a fortnight. She is only half dwarven after all. Wouldn't want a thin blooded child running around. Fili probably uses those bits of sheep gut the human girl gave him in the spring." said the second dwarf with a leer of his own. Meadow leaned away from both dwarves, anxious to get away from the four of them.

"Prince Fili's court women aren't happy about being upstaged by a little town girl. I heard two of them turned up in his rooms the other night and he didn't turn them away. Isn't that just awful truffle girl? A little nobody like you making rich titled women throw themselves at your rich protector. Why, Fili has had more women in the last few months, than he has in the last five years. He can hardly walk some mornings." laughed the first dwarf. They all laughed and moved off a ways, fully planning on following Meadow to torment her further.

Meadow hurried off over the bridge, hearing the dwarves as they followed, taunting her half-heartedly. They were waiting for Fili to show up to see what he would do when Meadow cried to him about their treatment of her. They were certain that he would brush her concerns off and side with them. Meadow was almost at the festival when Fili finally appeared after the opening ceremony. He was dressed in a finely woven lambs wool shirt the colour of old wheat, nearly the same colour of his hair. His trousers and boots were freshly dyed black and brand new. His cloak was royal blue, the royal purple reserved for the direct line of royalty. His cloak was edged in white and black fur. The direct line had straight white on their cloaks and hoods.

Fili saw the dwarves he called friends before he caught sight of Meadow, she had her head down and tried to lose the dwarves between a few stalls. Fili stopped to wait for his friends and listened as the made up stories about Meadow and how she offered herself to them after he removed himself as her protector. This puzzled Fili and made him angry. He did not know if what his friends said was true, but he caught sight of Meadow hiding between two stalls. She was waiting for the dwarves to leave Fili and head away. Fili pulled away and went to Meadow, his friends hooted and leered loudly once they saw where he was headed.

"Are they telling the truth? Did you offer yourself to any one of them?" Fili demanded pained to the heart.

"What? No! They accosted me on the bridge and haven't stopped following me. Is it true you keep women in the castle? Even though your great grandfather forbids courtesans?" Meadow snapped back. "I would never offer myself to anyone."

"Not unless they were rich and royal." Fili said snidely. Meadow slapped him with as great a force as she could muster. Fili looked at her, stunned.

"I took you into my bed because I foolishly fell in love with you! I will never make that mistake again. Good bye Fili. I mean, you highness." Meadow snarled and stormed away, leaving Fili to stew and hear the laughter of his friends. He realised then that he had been lied to, and it wasn't Meadow who had done it. He turned and glared at the young dwarves, before running after Meadow.

"Meadow? Wait! Please!" Fili called plaintively. He caught up to Meadow and grabbed her arm, she hit him with her truffle basket, scattering the mushrooms on the ground.

"I can not believe you! After all this time, you throw what we had in my face and you believe those hooligans over me!" Meadow shouted, not bothering to lower her voice, her reputation was in shambles already.

"I was very wrong. I'm sorry. Please forgive me for my shortcomings. I was overcome by jealousy." Fili apologized profusely.

"Why would you be jealous? You are only using me for a short time." Meadow asked archly.

"I don't plan on giving you up for a very long time. And like you, I also was foolish." Fili admitted sheepishly.

"Foolish, how?" Meadow asked after a moment.

"I fell in love with you. It's what your father told me to tell you on his deathbed." Fili said softly, and was surprised to see rage twist Meadow's face.

"How dare you use my father as a tool to ingratiate yourself to me?! No! Take your hands off me! I don't want anything to do with you anymore, Fili Florenson!" Meadow shrieked when Fili took hold of her and dragged her to the festival grounds again. She kept up a steady stream of invective, and Fili chuckled to himself at the language she was using to describe him on every level possible. He hauled her to a heavily decorated, close sided. gazebo. Fili stopped before entering the gazebo. He turned to Meadow with a hopeful grin.

"Please, trust me on this. I know what to do to set your fears and mine to rest." Fili

"There's nothing you could do that will do that." Meadow growled and was pulled up into the gazebo. Meadow had never bothered with going anywhere near the gazebo in the past, she had had no interest in what happened with the old traditions and her father had never taught her about her dwarven heritage beyond the most basic teachings. She had kept to the more amusing side of the festival since it was only three days long. Fili pulled her into the gazebo, an ancient dwarf and Balin were inside, with an ornate wine glass and a large cask of red wine.

"Master, Teacher Balin. We would like to drink of the wine and fully accept the consequences. Both of us." Fili said with a grin that offset his serious demeanour. The old dwarf and Balin eyed both Fili and Meadow, Balin opened his mouth but Fili used hunting hand signals to silence him. Balin gave him a sceptical look but allowed the old dwarf to fill the wine glass. Fili took the glass and drank half the wine, then handed the glass to Meadow. She eyed it and him warily.

"Trust me. I will never leave you alone and vulnerable again." Fili said, the old dwarf nodded and Balin grinned indulgently.

"Oh very well." Meadow sighed and drank the wine. Fili smiled bright as the sun, as Balin handed over two silver rings. Fili took Meadows hand and put one of the rings on her finger. He made her do the same with the second ring.

"Now we are legally married for a year and a day." Fili said proudly.

"What?!" Meadow shrieked, making all three male dwarfs wince at the volume.

Several hours later, after Fili had his townhouse stripped of anything that had to be stored for the winter and the house closed for the winter. All of Meadows things had been taken to Fili's apartments in the castle under the mountain. He wouldn't need to make her a part of his staff, not after he had tricked her into an ancient ritual for testing couples and their ability to live together. He had found out about this ritual at one of the committee meetings he had actually attended and paid attention to. Meadow hadn't spoken more than a dozen words to him since he had told her about the temporary marriage. He had tried to make it better by saying any children born were as legitimate as any in a proper marriage, but Meadow had burst into angry tears and had tried to leave him in the gazebo. She was now pouting sullenly in his sitting room, all but one of his leather chairs replaced with the linen covered ones from his townhouse. He had also set up one of his smaller rooms as a bedroom for Meadow for when she was unable to be with him. He chuckled a little self-consciously, she wasn't going to forgive him for this easily or quickly.

Meadow sat in the sitting room, trying to figure a way out of being Fili's wife. If he had told her and believed her earlier that day, she would have happily drank the wine with him. What he had told her after the fact, was that she was legally his wife for a year and a day. Between then and now she had access to everything a wife would have. She could take control of his house, empty his vault into hers and use his position as a way to get anything she wanted. Meadow sighed, she wasn't greedy and her vindictiveness ended with kicking Fili in the hammer and anvil.

She hadn't yet, but if he tried to consummate the marriage before she was ready, he would be in a lot of danger. Fili had said something about dressing for dinner and being introduced as his wife. Meadow hadn't answered him, and he went on about having a ladies maid sent to help her dress. After that little tidbit, he had left and gone into his bedroom to dress. Meadow sighed, her new maid was waiting in her room for her to pick a dress and jewels to wear. As soon as she walked into her room, Fili appeared and went for her wardrobe.

He pulled out the blue gown he had bought her for her first appearance at court. He tossed it to the maid and went to the tall safe set in the wall and flung it open. Trays and drawers full of jewellery were in the safe and Fili went through it quickly, coming up with an emerald and pearl choker and matching earrings. He went back to the safe and dug around for a few moments. He pulled out a large gilded cuff set with emeralds and burnished smooth, as if it were old.

"This belonged to my great grandmother, my grandmother, and my mother. It goes back a few more generations, but every woman in the Durin line has worn it when she was either born into the line, or married into it. Kili has the mate to it for when he takes a wife. I'd like you to wear this tonight and every day until our year and a day is up." Fili said softly, taking Meadow's hand and putting the cuff on her wrist. Meadow sighed and felt all her anger drain away. Fili was capable of being absolutely infuriating and then heart meltingly adorable all in a few minutes. Meadow adjusted the cuff and looked at Fili.

"I'm still angry with you. But it's lessened now. Now, leave so I can get dressed." Meadow said with a defeated sigh, Fili scratched his chin and grinned cheekily at Meadow. She glowered at him and he thought better of propositioning her for the moment.

He left Meadow to her love struck ladies maid, who kept sighing and gazing after Fili adoringly. Meadow had to call her to attention twice before the girl finished her hair. Meadow thought about getting an older, married, maid to help her after she caught the maid glaring at her. Meadow didn't know much about court life, but she knew that maids were supposed to be under her control as Fili's wife. He had given up the control of his household to her when he brought her under the mountain.

"I don't know what you think you're going to do. But as my maid, you are here to serve me, not my husband." Meadow said, as the maid tightened her corset too tightly.

"He only did that so he could bring you under the mountain for the winter. You'll be gone by spring." the maid said flippantly. Meadow stared at the girl for a moment, then dismissed her. The girl gaped for a moment then swung out of the room in high dudgeon. Meadow finished dressing herself and went into the sitting room. She knew that being in a closed environment, dismissing the maid would have consequences. She saw Fili emerge from his room, dressed in a white linen shirt, a fresh pair of black wool trousers, black shoes rather than boots as he was indoors and not riding, his hair was washed and braided along with his facial hair. Meadow rather liked the tiny braids, they kept his moustache and beard from being scratchy. She watched as he put his royal pendant around his neck, added his small, unadorned, golden crown. Kili's was the same, only done in silver, as he was the spare's spare heir. Fili turned to Meadow and held up a thin circle of gold. Meadow realized that she was now a princess, thanks to Fili's scheming.

"You'll have some duties now. There'll be training and a lot of it. You have some innate talent. Your modesty, your ability to find solutions to problems and your natural grace. Just, please go back to how you were before your father passed away. I miss that side of you." Fili pleaded hopefully. Meadow looked up at him, and let him kiss her forehead, before he put the circlet on her head. It was set with a very dark blue stone.

"Was this also your mother's?" Meadow asked, looking in the polished metal mirror over the mantel.

"No, she had a crown and was born a princess. This was made for the woman I would marry. I had it sized for you." Fili said.

"You knew I would marry you?" Meadow asked.

"No, but I did know I would marry you. That's partly why I used trickery and an old tradition to trap you into marriage. If you find this life acceptable, we'll have a proper marriage before the year is up. That's why the ceremony is held on Durin Day. The winter is hard to endure, cooped up together with so many other people." Fili explained, adjusting his half cloak so that it fell over one shoulder. "Where is your maid?"

"I dismissed her. She was not suitable. I believe she may have eventually tried to have you seduce her." Meadow said darkly.

"Perhaps, before I had fallen in love with you, I may have tried." Fili said, placing another kiss on Meadow's forehead.

"With the way she was staring after you, you wouldn't have had to try very hard." Meadow pointed out dryly, making Fili chuckle.

"Are you jealous?" Fili asked with a grin.

"Of something that hasn't, and will not, happen? Of course not." Meadow sniffed and tried to walk to the door, only to be pulled into Fili's arms and hugged tightly. Meadow tried to pull away when he started nuzzling and kissing her neck.

"They would understand why we were late." Fili drawled provocatively, Meadow's foot caught him in the shin. Fili grunted in pain. "I wasn't trying to blackmail you." he said with an adorable pout. They got to the meal before getting too deeply involved.

They were presented as the prince and princess, much to the surprise of Fili's family. He was peppered with questions from Kili and Thror. Thrain and Thorin kept their own counsel, Fili would explain his decisions when the family met in the morning. Meadow wasn't yet allowed to attend these meetings as she was an unknown. Fili held Meadow's chair as she sat, at the head table no less, then seated himself on her left. Kili was seated on her right hand, his place setting moved down as his brother had married. Meadow looked lost and confused at the turn of events.

She didn't know that the family sat in ceremony at a feast for Durin Day, and was getting a crash course in protocol. She was shaking so hard, she could barely get a forkful or spoonful to her mouth without losing it all in the journey from the plate to her mouth. Fili hooked his ankle around hers, a way to relay calm without being overt, after all, the cloth on the table draped and folded onto the floor and off the dais the table was placed on. Meadow steadied a little, and was able to finish the final dish and dessert completely. Kili had kept quiet after the initial storm of questions, and was now curious again.

"So, why didn't I meet you before a week ago? Fili and I are as close as brothers can be." Kili asked.

"I didn't want to share her attention, dear brother. You know that." Fili said with a bit of a growl in his tone.

"Yes, but it would have been nice to know she was going to be my sister in law before your wedding day." Kili pointed out with a mischievous grin and a wink at Meadow. He was trying to needle his brother, not imply anything about her.

The rest of the ceremony was Thror knighting young dwarves who had finished their training and rewarding those who deserved rewards. Usually they were praised for their battle prowess and bravery. Then there was the mass blessing of all the hand fasting and trial marriages. Fili proudly led Meadow to the small group of couples for his great grandfather's blessing. They were last and a murmur arose as their names were announced. Thror observed them as Fili had to pull Meadow before him, she kept trying to hide behind him. Thror smirked when Fili's brows drew together, Meadow may have pinched him in retaliation for his rough handling of her.

"Will you care for, and be cared for by this dwarf?" Thror asked, Meadow nodded then hissed at Fili when he poked her in the back.

"Does that include injuries acquired by being stupid?" Meadow snapped, looking at Fili mulishly.

"It does. Stupid is slow to fix, but he'll learn eventually." Thror said with a snicker at the look Fili gave him.

"Fine." Meadow said, sticking out her lower lip in a sulky pout. Fili grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her until she pinched him again to let her go. This brought roars of approval and laughter from the assembled dwarves. Thror finished the ceremony by blessing the union of his great grandson and his new favourite great granddaughter in law. Whoever Kili brought to wife would have quite a lot to do before matching Meadow's example.

The festive atmosphere continued well into the wee hours of the morning, Thror retired early, leaving Thrain as his representative, which only meant an increase in the drinking games. Fili took part in several of the games, but was keeping an eye on Meadow. She was sitting in a small, by dwarven building standards, alcove with several of the other newlywed female dwarves. There had been more, but once some of the more traditional had found out Meadow was only half-dwarven, they had voiced their disapproval and had left to sit away from her.

Meadow wasn't too bothered by this attempt at shunning, she had lived with it her whole life, so it wasn't a new thing to happen to her. Besides, the girls who had stayed were clearly attempting to get into the new princess' good graces. Social climbing wasn't unheard of, and being the good friend of a member of the royal family was still a door open to a high position in the court. Some would become Meadow's closest friends and others would be dismissed from her private court permanently. But for now, she was with other dwarves who weren't deliberately unkind.

Fili decided it was time to retire and went over to Meadow to tell her so. As her husband, he had more control over her than he had previously, although Meadow didn't seem to know this. She gave him a glare and tried to go back to talking with her new friends, leaving Fili to stare at her blatant dismissal of him. His temper and stubbornness rose, and he flung Meadow over his shoulder and marched off with her shouting at him and pounding on his back for him to put her down. Raucous laughter followed them out of the hall, making Meadow turn beet red and give up on any chance of being respectable. Fili carried her to the lift and set her down once they were safely locked in and moving downwards.

"I apologize." Fili began, trying to pull Meadow into a hug, she resisted and leaned away from him as much as she could with his arms around her.

"You've been doing that a lot today." Meadow muttered in a sulky tone.

"And I can only do it so often before it becomes meaningless." Fili pointed out, he was beginning to get frustrated with Meadow's reticence. She had been somewhat sullen and sulking since that morning and he had attributed it to the hasty wedding. "What will convince you that this is for the best?"

"How is it for the best? You accused me of being a whore, and then threw in my face our whole acquaintance, when all of this was your idea, and all your doing. I only let you into my bed after my father died because I was lonely and scared over what would happen to me if you decided to leave." Meadow said in a rush. "And then you, as you always do, ran right over everything in your way. You expected me to be only for you. What happens after this marriage dissolves? I don't want to be a princess, I don't even want to be rich. I want to be secure in my life and in the knowledge that my husband won't take a dozen mistresses because he can, or will if I'm carrying his child. What will I do when you decide to take a proper wife? Will I be your mistress or will you allow her to malign me for your wanton ways? Will you even think of me and your promise in a few months?" Meadow asked plaintively, and then burst into tears.

"I don't know what to say, beyond the fact that as of today, all your fears are no longer founded in fact. I won't give you up. Come spring, we will have a proper wedding, with all the flowers and food and all your friends from the vineyards. This was the only way to make sure you didn't have to stay in the village during the winter and I was locked under the mountain for weeks at a time. I did this to make sure no one could harm you once it got out that you were my favourite mistress. I would much rather be married to a kind, generous, girl like you, than some inbred, whey faced, spoiled little brat from a high ranking family. I told you the truth earlier, when I told you your father asked me to marry you and take care of you. You are a princess, my princess and I love you." Fili said sternly, hugging Meadow to his chest as she kept weeping. He pulled open the doors to the lift and led her back to his apartment. Theirs would be finished and furnished within the week, Fili had ordered the construction weeks ago.

Meadow sat on Fili's enormous bed and tried to stop crying as he went into the bathing room to fetch a cloth for her to wipe her face. His words began to sink in, and she found herself believing his sincerity. She heaved a shuddering sigh and stood, if Fili was serious and wasn't going to set her aside, then she'd make sure of that. Fili came out of the bathing room with a basin and cloth. He looked at her and brightened up with a relieved smile.

"Good, you've stopped. What is it about a woman crying, that causes a man to lose his ability to control himself?" Fili said inanely as he set the basin on the night stand. He hugged Meadow again, she didn't return it.

"If you're serious about this marriage, then there are going to be no secrets between us." Meadow said coolly, Fili eyed her, and figured it was best to humour her in the hopes of salvaging his wedding night. "Have you been with any other women since we started sleeping together?" Meadow asked suddenly.

"No, there was a courtesan in the spring, but once I was smitten with you, I turned her away." Fili explained, after a moment of surprise.

"What about when you were out with your friends? Were there any then?" Meadow asked, watching Fili closely.

"Only in tales I told to keep them from laughing me out the door in humiliation. A man's ego is a fragile thing." Fili said with a wry grin.

"So I have learned. Will there be any other women while we are together?" Meadow asked, with a touch of wry in her tone.

"No." Fili said immediately.

"Even when I can not be with you as your wife?" Meadow prompted.

"How do you mean?" Fili asked blankly.

"My courses and when I am carrying your child. A friend of my mothers' found out we were together, and informed me that in the final few months of carrying, a woman is not advised to ride a pony, or be with her husband to prevent an early birth or a miscarriage." Meadow explained to a now wide eyed Fili.

"That can happen?" Fili asked incredulously.

"More often than you'd think. Early births are the main cause of a woman being accused of infidelity and her children's paternity called into question. According to the midwife, once a woman has carried near to the end of her term, in the final two months, the baby is strong enough to survive and can handle an early birth. But you have not answered my question, will you take a mistress when I am enceinte?" Meadow asked, her tone hard and her face set in concentration.

"Never. I can handle a few months of celibacy." Fili said staunchly.

"Try nearly a year of celibacy. A woman can not be with her husband until a baby is almost three months old. Her body has to heal from the birth. You may wind up begging me for permission to take a woman." Meadow grinned wickedly at Fili's sudden paling.

"You have hands, you can use them." Fili said flippantly and grunted when Meadow pinched him. "I am going to have to do something about your proclivity for pinching me." Fili said with a hungry leer. Meadow suddenly realized she had pushed a little too far and bolted for the door to her bedroom, Fili caught her before she got more than a few steps.

Meadow shrieked and found herself bouncing on Fili's bed with him trying to untie her dress. She struggled and tried to push him off, but he captured her hands and pinned them above her head. She kept wriggling and trying to shove him off as he laughed wickedly and simply snapped the laces and pulled her dress down to her waist. Meadow started laughing hysterically at his face when he saw her corset and wraps. Fili wasn't to be stopped so easily, he pulled out his eating knife.

"Hold still, and we won't see any blood." Fili said, twirling the small sharp blade.

"This is the only corset I have." Meadow protested.

"You have an allowance as a princess now. Buy five more." Fili said with a shrug as he attacked the corset, slicing it down the front. He pulled it off Meadow and looked at the imprint the corset had left on her skin. "On second thought. Never wear them again. If you need to look thin, delicate, and fashionable, have a corset made without the boning in it. You will not wear this torture device when you are carrying my children." Fili said, he didn't like the contraptions that women had to wear to be considered fashionable and respectable. The corset had to be the worst he had ever seen. Certainly girls who sold themselves wore them, but laced loosely. High born women had them laced so tight, that humans had come up with furniture for the sole purpose of holding a woman after she fainted from being unable to breathe because of her too tight corset.

Fili ran his hands over Meadow's reddened skin gently. The imprints may not bruise and he desperately wanted his new bride. Meadow breathed in deeply, enjoying the feeling. Then looked at Fili as what he said sank in.

"Children? As in more than one?" Meadow asked slowly, not daring to hope.

"Of course. Did you think I'd stop at one? We'll have six." Fili said with a grin.

"A dozen. I've always wanted a large family. It was awful growing up without siblings." Meadow said with a wistful sigh, Fili's grin widened.

"I had my brother. It was fun having a best friend so young. But we'll start with making one tonight." Fili said, and chuckled when Meadow hugged him to her chest. Giving her what she really wanted was a guaranteed way to getting what he wanted at the moment. Fili got what he wanted, eventually, the only thing Meadow was wearing, was the emerald and pearl necklace and the gold cuff he had given her.

Morning was a lesson in torture for Fili. Meadow refused his advances, and before he could wear her down, the head steward arrived to introduce their new household staff for their new suite of rooms. The two ladies maids were quickly whittled down to one, once it was determined that Meadow wouldn't need more than one as she wouldn't wear a corset. Fili's old butler had been training his replacement and saw fit to retire now that his prince was married. The housekeeper was the same one from Fili's townhouse, as was the under steward, who didn't seem to mind the demotion, as the head steward was also Kili and Thorin's main steward. After the staff had left, with the exception of the butler and maid, Fili and Meadow had gotten up and dressed. Meadow was in her own room with her maid.

"I have never been so humiliated." Meadow muttered, with her face in her hands. The maid snorted, trying to hold back laughter.

"It's not the first time the steward had walked in on a royal or two. I think he does it deliberately, to prove that the royals aren't any different than us normal people." the maid, her name predictably was Hilde, said with a chuckle. "It's not the first time we've all seen his highness' pale, bare, bottom before either. His and his fool brother's. They used to run down as many halls as possible, 'till Prince Thorin chased them down with Master Dwalin after them too." she added with another laugh and making Meadow giggle as well.

"How long ago was that?" Meadow asked with a gasp.

"The last time they pulled that off, was a few days ago. They try it at least once a month." Hilde said, both women started laughing, until Fili came in. They stared at him for a moment, then burst into hysterical laughter again.

Fili looked from one to the other and thought it prudent he leave the room. He sat in the sitting room, going over his correspondence, he received a lot of mail, mostly love letters from dwarf maids, but once in a while a proper letter came. One such was from a dwarf lord in the Moria Mine. His father had signed a marriage contract when Fili had been a child, before Kili had been born. Fili read the letter, it explained that the girl who had been named in the contract was missing and presumed dead. Another girl, just as well connected, was being sent for his approval. Fili snorted, he wasn't going to marry a brainless bit of fluff and nonsense that had been spoiled into uselessness by an overindulgent family. Besides, he already had Meadow and there were no laws against a mixed blood dwarf or her children sitting on the throne. His family cared about healthy, strong children, and didn't believe in inbreeding.

The more diverse the blood in the Durin line, the stronger the family. Of course, newlyweds were often sequestered in an enclosed place until the first child was born to prevent any questions of the children's paternity, but that was usually done in the spring and summer. Fili chuckled, his plans were approved by his grandfather, as effective. Not many dwarves would disturb him and Meadow in their new suite. He had also elected to leave behind his royal suite in the palace proper, along with most of his furniture.

Meadow finally came out of her room, still smiling brightly, Fili smiled back at her.

"There is the Meadow I first fell in love with. I do love to see a smile on your face." Fili said sweetly, a giggle escaped Meadow and her maid was red faced from laughing. "I'm afraid to ask why you are smiling."

"Hilde was just telling me some of your more interesting antics, here in the castle. Like running naked through the halls, and wearing your mother's clothing."

"That was all when I was a child." Fili said, his cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

"Not running around naked, apparently." Meadow said with a grin. Fili groaned.

"You may need a new maid if this one is going to tell you tall tales." Fili muttered, glowering at Hilde, who had the temerity to grin wickedly at him. "You served my mother, didn't you?" Hilde nodded, Fili grimaced.

"She has to go. She knows far too much about me." Fili said.

"I like her. Please let her stay? That other girl wasn't trained and the last one had designs on you." Meadow said, pouting prettily. Fili looked at her, she was actively trying to flirt with him. "Please Fili?" she begged.

"I'd better get something out of this." Fili said, Meadow stopped pouting and smiled hopefully. "Fine she can stay. My mother would come back from the dead if I treated you badly. And the household is your responsibility now." Meadow flung her arms around Fili's neck and kissed his cheek, until he kissed her on the lips.

After breakfast, Fili was informed that their suite was finished and they could inspect it at their leisure. Fili took Meadow up past the storerooms, and above the highest residence.

"Where are we going, Fili?" Meadow asked a bit breathlessly. Fili had demonstrated his ability to perform anywhere, and the long ride in a locked lift was easy enough for him to introduce Meadow to a swift and satisfying round of lovemaking. The lift stopped and Fili opened the gate onto a long hall with several doors. He knew which door opened where, but Meadow hadn't been this high in the mountain before, and she enjoyed opening doors even if there was only a broom in the room behind the door.

"This is the door to our personal suite of rooms, there is a kitchen, a parlour, two bedrooms, a few more rooms for storage, and a solar for you to use as you please. We're close enough to the face of the mountain for you to have windows in your solar" Fili said, opening the heavy oaken door onto the main sitting room.

"Only two bedrooms? How will we fit a half dozen children into one small bedroom?" Meadow asked as she looked around and peeked into the other rooms.

"It's your bedroom." Fili said, he thought this had been made clear to Meadow in his old suite below ground. "And it's not small. It's a good size for a large bed and furniture."

"We'll share a bedroom Fili. Like any other married couple. Like we did at the townhouse. Could we use it as a summer house?" Meadow asked as she looked into Fili's bedroom.

"We don't have to share a room like commoners anymore. We have all this space and we don't need to share." Fili pointed out, Meadow looked at him.

"We'll share a bedroom. Why nobles think it's better to be separate, I will never understand. How do you plan on fathering children if it takes you an hour to get to your wife? And what if I want you in the middle of the night? Do you really think I'm going to leave my nice warm bed to run through a freezing room only to stay for an hour, and then have to run back? I'd only use the spare room if I need the relief of my own bed, or if I'm angry with you. We'll turn it into a nursery. Along with the solar room." Meadow kept talking as she went into Fili's room. "Is that my father's bed frame?!" she shouted, making Fili jump in surprise, he had tuned her out as she rambled on.

"Yes, I thought it would be a touch of home for when you shared my bed. But if you plan on keeping yourself in here, we may need a bigger bed." Fili said, coming into the room.

"No, it'll do fine." Meadow said, "Do you wish to test it out?" she asked, looking at him with lowered eyelids and red cheeks.

"I'll beat the modesty out of you sooner or later." Fili said, grinning and going to Meadow with intent. Meadow rolled her eyes and giggled as he approached. They spent the next few hours in bed and eventually the night. Fili would come to agree that sharing his bed was a good idea.

The days went by quickly, time moved differently in a sunless environment. Meadow was trained in comportment, court presence and conflict resolution. She knew how to read and had pillaged Fili's library often. Once she was shown the Great Library, her tutor lost her in the stacks and had to call in a couple guards to look for her. The tutor had to retire for the rest of the day, to calm his nerves from the stress of nearly losing the new princess. Her comportment tutor was twice changed because two of them were cruel and overly critical of her where Fili and Thrain could hear. Thrain had become her interim tutor, his wife and daughter had both been noted for their grace and calm under fire. He was patient, but didn't allow interruptions, Fili was kept out of the room whenever Thrain would be teaching Meadow. Fili did not take the separation lightly and resented the two hours apart enough to drag Meadow to an empty cupboard and make love to her against the door. She had protested at first, but Fili always managed to convince her.

Near the winter solstice, Meadow began to suspect something was wrong. She was sure Fili was planning something for the Solstice celebration. She had, at first, been overly suspicious, since his old courtesan had been spreading rumours about why Fili had hand fasted with Meadow. Kili had intercepted the woman on Meadow's behalf. The woman hadn't been seen in the high court since. Meadow also thought her schedule was too full, she was always tired now, and she had to be woken in the afternoon when it was time for her new comportment tutor finally arrived. Her stomach started growling, and she was suddenly reminded that she had missed breakfast that morning, she had slept late again and her morning routine took too long for her to be on time for the family's meal, so she wound up usually toasting some bread and eating it with butter.

Fili sat up in bed, it was late at night and Meadow was sleeping in her room again. The doctor told her she was ill and should have her own room, to avoid Fili catching her sickness. Fili sighed, he had yet to catch his wife when she wasn't tired or ill, and it had been nearly a month straight. He hoped whatever was wrong would resolve itself soon. He missed sleeping with Meadow, and not just for lovemaking. His bed felt too empty and much too quiet. He had plans for the solstice and needed his wife healthy for it.

He fell asleep, moping after his absentee wife.

Three days before the solstice, and the Kingdom was as an anthill, everyone hurrying to finish preparations in time for the celebration. The Great Hall where visitors were received and the great balls were held, was transformed into a festive place. Meadow had been asked to help with the decorating, before she had become ill. She had made plans that reflected her human upbringing. Ivy and holly had been brought in to adorn the thrones and tables. A great fir tree had been uprooted and placed near the largest fire place in the hall. Some of the handier ladies and young nobles had been enthralled by the tradition and had either made their own decorations or hired seamstresses to make more. Thror was tapped to make a tree topper, he being the highest ranking person in the hall and the family patriarch. Meadow had made several of her own ornaments. One was extremely special and had to be put on the tree last.

Meadow had gotten out of bed, feeling very well now that she had gotten a full week of rest. Thrain had told her to take it and that she needed the rest, he had also sent his own doctor to her, the one that had seen to his wife, himself and Thorin when he had been a child. Thrain had given no reason but had quietly smiled to himself when the doctor had reported to him, thinking he was Meadow's husband. The elderly dwarf was still a very good doctor, but his mind was ranging back in time. Thrain sat back in his chair and lit his pipe, it would be nice to hear a child's voice in the hall again.

Meadow sat in Fili's room hugging his pillow, he and the rest of the family had gone out of the mountain to deliver coal to the town. It was free, their gift to the town for helping to sustain them through the winter. The coal would keep the town warm, while the town would share their supplies when the kingdom began to run out. It hadn't happened in over a hundred years, but the dwarves had a long memory. Meadow breathed in the scent Fili had left on the pillow, the chamber maid was forced to work around Meadow as she sat in the middle of the bed, on the bare feather mattress. Fresh bed linens sat on the edge of the bed, for when Meadow left the room. The doctor had told her why she was tired and ill in the mornings, and Meadow was unsure how Fili would react to the news. He spoke a pretty spiel, but she didn't know if he meant what he said.

Meadow went into the small room and looked around. The safe and the wardrobe would have to go. She thought for a moment, then went to the sun warmed solar. She looked at the room hard, drapes would filter the sun in the summer and keep out drafts in the winter. A big, thick rug would cushion the floor, in fact all the rooms would have large soft floor coverings put in. The wooden furniture would be repainted a lighter colour, and the walls would be whitewashed. Meadow's mood picked up as she envisioned the new nursery and how it would adjoin hers and Fili's bed chamber. A door would be easy to put into the wall, along with a small cradle in the bed chamber on her side of the bed. Fili insisted on her being on the side furthest from the door. He had explained that it was an old dwarf tradition so that the husband could jump out of bed and defend his wife in the event of an invasion. Meadow had scoffed at that, until Kili, at Fili's bidding, came in screaming like a banshee. He had ended up on the floor, laughing hysterically when Fili had jumped out of bed, stark naked.

Meadow got the idea, and hadn't questioned the tradition. She did question the broom cupboard tradition however, and the other empty rooms traditions Fili had told her about. She had made the mistake of asking Kili, and he had turned red as he explained that even his great grandfather and his wife had adhered to the unspoken tradition. It was something newlyweds did, according to Kili. Meadow had apologized profusely for embarrassing Kili, and after a few months he was able to look her in the eyes again. Fili had never been told what had made Kili avoid Meadow for weeks, but he never doubted either of them.

As she made her way down to the castle proper, Meadow began to wonder if it was best to move back to Fili's old apartment in the castle. It was large, furnished and had more rooms than the private suite up in the summit of the mountain. Also, it was closer to the family, Kili and Thorin were down the same hall, Thrain was a staircase up, and down that hall was the King's Wing where Thror still lived. As an added bonus, the rock between the suites was soundproof, but in case of a problem, there were others nearby.

Meadow sipped the watered wine her maid had provided for her morning drink and immediately felt ill, she couldn't eat apples or cherries, even dried. Straight wine, even Elven-made, made her ill, and she was willing to bet beer and ale would do the same. Meadow groaned and went to the privy, just thinking about apples made her feel even worse now.

Fili wandered into the hall, looking morose and a little curious as to why his grandfather was grinning at him. He sighed heavily and sat down at his place and noticed that Kili's place had been moved to the other end of the table, next to Thorin, on Thror's left hand. This left more space on Thrain's side of the table, he must have looked too quizzical, because Thrain and Thror chuckled into their beards as they watched him.

"Are we expecting company, grandfather?" Fili asked blankly.

"Soon, but they won't be sitting at the head table with us. The extra seating is for when the family expands from within." Thrain said, Thror wasn't as happy with the news, he had wanted a great big wedding celebration, at least a month long, something he could rub Thranduil's nose in, since the Elvenking's son would not take a bride for many years yet. Fili looked at his grandfather, not understanding what he meant. He picked at his meal for a few moments, glancing at the side door Meadow should be coming through at any moment. He had just started eating when she walked in, looking ill again. Fili's bright smile turned into a look of worry, then surprise, when Meadow glowered at him and sat down without a word in greeting.

"Meadow?" Fili began cautiously, and tried to take her hand, her glower turned to a snarl and she pulled away from Fili as if he was harming her.

"Don't touch me! You've done more than enough!" Meadow snapped shrilly. Fili looked flabbergasted as he tried to remember what it was he had done in the past weeks to warrant this kind of temper from his calm, gentle wife. Thrain and Thror were snickering, while Thorin and Kili, neither were in on the secret, laughed at poor Fili's predicament. "What is it that is so amusing to all of you?" Meadow's voice swooped dangerously as she addressed the rest of the royal family. Thror and Thrain choked back their laughter, but Thorin and Kili didn't understand the danger they were facing. Meadow stared at them, but neither showed signs of repentance, and her anger swiftly turned to sorrow and she burst into tears, right in the breakfast hall, with all the captains and lieutenants watching. Many of the older dwarves figured out right quick what was happening and looked away, but the younger and less informed watched in horrified fascination.

Fili stood up and picked Meadow up bodily, she struggled weakly, but Thrain bid them leave quickly. Fili hurried to the door and vanished with Meadow still protesting that she hadn't had her breakfast. As soon as Thrain saw the door close, he collapsed back into laughter. Thror and the other dwarves who knew the score now, joined in.

"It always turns the girl into a raving shrew with a nasty temper." one old captain chuckled to his lieutenant, who was himself finally ending his own torture.

"The sweet ones turn evil, and the shrewish ones go sweet for a short time. My own was an absolute joy when she got over the illness." added another dwarf, his line was prolific, he had at least a dozen children over the past hundred years.

"My own wife was the same way before Thrain was born." Thror knew both the captains and counted them as his close friends.

"What changes them?" Thorin asked, trying to remain dignified. He was eyed carefully, as was Kili.

"Should we tell them? Before they've taken wives of their own?" asked the first captain with a computational wink at Thror.

"There would be less lines secured as the result." Thror said thoughtfully. Thrain snorted with laughter.

"She's carrying Fili's child. Many girls turn strange for the first child. After a few months, she'll be the same as when she was first brought to the hall." Thrain said, his wife had only turned strange for a few weeks, but they were more than enough for him to decide one child was enough.

Especially when she demanded red berries in the middle of winter and all but chased him out of the kingdom to find some. They had to be fresh, not dried or soaked in water to make them plump again. He had tried bringing her wintergreen berries, but she refused them and sent him out again. He spent a month in the town, afraid to go home again without the red berries she had demanded of him. He returned to find her knitting baby clothing, in pink and yellow, absolutely certain their child would be a girl and would entertain no other notion. Thorin had spent a good amount of his newborn life swaddled in pink, before Thrain had discreetly tossed item after item of pink baby clothing into the river. It had taken him near a month to toss it all, and Thorin had outgrown most of it within his first three months anyway. Thrain chuckled at the memory.

"So I'm going to be an uncle?" Kili asked with a smile.

"If all goes well. We will both be uncles." Thorin said with a matching smile.

"For the love of Durin, pretend surprise and happiness when she tells us. Or we may all be chased away from the table." Thror said, his own wife had done just that. She had taken it into her head that she was more than suitable for running the kingdom and took Thror's throne from him. His father had advised letting her think she was running the kingdom, and she was a good leader, when she wasn't overcome with what had long ago been called the carrying illness. Human women and even the Elven women were all susceptible to this when they were carrying. It was easier with the second child and all but gone by the third and fourth. But the first one always stuck in the mind of the men folk. It was the reason many feared the second child as much as they rejoiced when told.

Fili carried Meadow to the lift and set her down once it was in motion. Meadow kept weeping, and had scared Fili with her persistence. He waited quietly beside her as the lift finally stopped at their suite level. He led her, wordlessly, to their bed chamber and sat with her on the bed. He was still terrified of her and her having another outburst like the one in the hall. He waited while she wept herself to sleep and then just sat with her, wondering what he had done. He would be awake for hours with wondering. He dropped off into a doze, sometime around luncheon, and came awake no more than a half hour later. Meadow had woken up and started stretching, her movement had woken him.

"Meadow?" Fili began cautiously, she looked at him, with a bright smile and expectant eyes.

"Yes? What is it?" Meadow asked sweetly.

"What happened in the breakfast hall?" Fili had to ask.

"Oh, it wasn't anything to worry about." Meadow said airily, and snuggled into Fili's side. He was doubly confused for now she was displaying her sweet temper and gentle nature.

"What did I do, to make you so angry?" Fili asked as carefully as he could.

"Nothing. Why, do you have a guilty conscience? Do you have something to confess?" Meadow asked back with a hint of teasing humour in her voice.

Fili grinned and kissed her, thankful that she was back to normal and that it had been a one off event. Meadow was intent and insistent he perform his husbandly duties, intensely and repeatedly. She became demanding, more than she had ever been. Fili soon found himself avoiding being alone with her during the day, for she would drag him to the broom closets if there were no eyes to see them leave.

He began to wonder if this was somehow a prank or other such jest, when the Solstice celebration happened, three days after her tantrum in the breakfast hall. Fili noted how warm the great hall was after Meadow had gotten her way with decorating it. Instead of the big, long trestle tables, there were now dozens of round, square, or rectangular tables no more than six feet long. Chairs were brought in and covered with families personal crests, so that they might know to sit in that place. Even the head table had been replaced, it was now a round table in the shape of a crescent moon, so that servers were able to bring the platters of food around to each person seated, and so that the family might converse without have to crane their necks to look left or right, or talk over someone's head. The dais had also been removed, putting the royal family on the same level as the rest of the court. The opening of the table faced the crowd and kept Thror in sight of everyone.

Fili was impressed at Meadows skill in decorating. Even the walls were hung with the Solstice banners and tapestries, and many of the spring loom works as well, giving the hall a warm, almost spring time feel to it, to keep it from being cold and dreary. Fili wandered over to the tree and began looking at the ornaments and little presents for the children who were ten years old, or younger. He saw little pieces here and there of couples, new and long married and then realized, he had not thought to put anything on the tree for Meadow. He ran to his suite, passing Meadow on the way, and hurried to his room. She didn't care for jewellery, for clothes, or ornaments beyond what she had to wear to make a good showing to court and be a credit to him. He looked and looked and found nothing that was good enough to give her on such short notice. He had plans to go to the townhouse after the Solstice, but that was weeks away. He looked at his desk and saw quill, ink, and paper.

He could write a poem, or draw her likeness. He gave those up as too silly and just stared at the desk. Then he realized, he could write his gift as an invitation to the town house for the humans new year celebration. It was brilliant, and effective. Meadow would stop pining for the town and the openness for a while, and by the time she started fretting about it again, he could take her back to the townhouse for the humans own holiday that celebrated married couples and sweethearts. Fili got to work, using gold and silver ink along with the red, blue, and black inks. He was a master at the written word and could turn a simple letter into a work of art. It took him nearly an hour and he barely had time to put it on the tree and sit down to breakfast before it was no longer served. The evening meal was when the festivities really began anyway. Fili ate his fill and watched as Meadow did the same, except she was picking all the apples out of her porridge and sent her watered wine back to the kitchen and had a large chilled mug of goat's milk brought out instead.

Fili thought this was unusual, Meadow loved apples, even though, he had inadvertently discovered that, eating them right out of the barrel gave Meadow the hiccups something fierce. He had laughed himself to hiccups the first time this had happened, and it was still amusing. But her sudden avoidance made him worry again. Meadow's concentration on the removal of anything apple like had gone on for a few weeks now. As had her avoidance of any drink that had been fermented in any way. She no longer drank the mulled wine, which she also loved, but drank instead the mulled juice and, only once, the cider made for the children. Fili got the idea that it was the apples that had made her ill, and that the wines and ales were also part of the illness.

Meadow watched Fili out of the corner of her eye. He was amusing to watch when he tried to think something through to make it make sense to him. She had yet to tell him the news, and had saved that as her Solstice girt to him. She wondered what would make him look like he had just discovered gemstones in his porridge. He looked at her suddenly, like he knew her secret, and abruptly, her mood turned sour.

"What is wrong with you?" Meadow demanded harshly. Fili looked taken aback for a moment, then grinned again.

"It's the apples. You can't stomach them anymore. That's why you've been ill, isn't it?" Fili said matter-of-factly, groans and a glare met his statement.

"No you foolish, idiot. I'm carrying your child and can't eat apples because they make me ill!" Meadow snapped loudly.

"Congratulations!" shouted Kili immediately, from his position, safely on the other side of the table, Thorin and Thrain quickly hushed him. Fili's mind went blank and he would swear later that he could hear his mind stuttering to start again, as he stared at Meadow, then her stomach, then back at her face.

"Child?" Fili stammered, shock had rendered him pale and no longer eloquent. "A…A baby? My child?" he asked blank as canvas in the whole affair.

"Yes, your chid. I only have to feed it, carry it, and after nine long months of pain and anguish, I have to birth it as well. And you get all the glory while I'm doing all the work, thanks to your little contribution." Meadow shrieked the last of her tangent, as she was already at the door to leave the hall. Fili didn't register her outburst, he just sat staring into space and grinning like a fool. He finally came back to himself, and went to leave, only to double back, grab his gift for Meadow, and ran out the door. Thror stood up and addressed the crowd.

"It is confirmed. My great grandson, Fili, son of Floren, son of Ferth, is to be a father. We expect a healthy child in early summer. For now, we shall raise our glasses in a toast, to family, happy may they be, long may they prosper!" Thror announced and drained his mug, as every other adult dwarf did.

Fili hurried after Meadow, he had to wait for the lift to reach the top level, come back down and then take him up. Nearly a quarter of an hour was wasted with waiting. He ran into their suite and found Meadow packing all her clothes into a trunk.

"Meadow, my love. Where are you going?" Fili asked softly, it was best not to aggravate her mood.

"I'm leaving this horrible hole in the ground, and moving back to Dale." Meadow said, sounding calm, Fili found that lately, this was not the case, she could bite his head off if he said or did the wrong thing.

"But then that makes my Solstice gift to you useless. I worked hard on it too." Fili said, packing as much guilt into his statement as possible, while pouting at Meadow. She was still a soft touch, even when she was unpredictable.

"What gift?" Meadow asked suspiciously, turning to look at Fili. He held out the envelope and let her snatch it out of his hand. Meadow read the letter and put her hand to her mouth, tears welled in her green eyes, making them shine. "Oh, Fili! This is wonderful. I thought you sold the townhouse." Meadow cried happily and flung herself into his arms.

"I would never sell that house. It means too much to both of us." Fili said, Meadow kissed his cheek. "Now, tell me about our child." Meadow did so, she told him of how Thrain had sent his doctor, of how she had begun to make plans, and that they were going to move back down into the castle.

"I had this suite made especially for us." Fili pointed out.

"It's easier to get help down in the castle, than it is up here. And besides, your grandfather is right there to watch the children if we want to make more. There's also Kili and Thorin to help with watching the children, and Thror would love nothing more than to take an infant everywhere and have it tugging on his beard." Meadow rambled on happily. "Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"Both. A boy first as heir, and a girl second as heart." Fili said, using an old proverb. "But whichever you produce with be fine with me."

"What do you think of the name Feren for a boy and for a girl perhaps, Fala. Sounds sweet, doesn't it?" Meadow asked brightly, Fili held back a wince, those were horrible names.

"Why don't we hold off choosing names, until we have a better idea of what to expect from a baby?" Fili said diplomatically, Meadow tilted her head and then shrugged.

"I don't know many dwarven names, so I was just guessing. What was I doing with my clothes?" Meadow asked, looking at the half-packed trunk.

"You had them put away for safe keeping, and were taking them out for an airing." Fili said swiftly, her calmness was back and he wouldn't be the one to change it. Meadow bought his explanation, she had forgotten why she had rushed upstairs to pack anyway.

After the celebrations had concluded for the Solstice and the humans new year had passed. Thror ordered the mine vents open for a week. This brought in great freezing draughts of air, and swept out the moist, stale air. The airing would happen once every month when the snow wasn't too deep to cover the vents. Fili and Meadow had their retreat to the town house, and Meadow had decided they would spend at least a month in it during the summer, after the baby was born. They returned to the kingdom under the mountain, happier and relaxed.

Meadow's abrupt mood fluctuations seemed to have dwindled in number and severity. There was only one memorable occasion when she had banned Fili from the town house for forgetting to bring her lilies and a southern fruit that wasn't available until summer. Fili had had to wait until Meadow fell asleep and sneak into his own house. He was both relieved and frightened all the time now that she had grown more unpredictable. As soon as they returned to the castle, they had returned to an even larger suite in the palace. They had been closed after Dis had passed away. It was the suite in which Fili and Kili had been born and raised in till they were old enough for their own space, which was still connected to the large suite by doors. Meadow instantly loved the Princess' Wing and began exploring immediately, even though her now swelling stomach often hindered her movements.

Fili was uncommonly proud of himself, as well as Meadow. Dwarves took note of Meadow's condition and congratulated him. He walked around with a swagger whenever Meadow was at his side or in the room. Meadow thought it was adorable how he swaggered like he had done the most difficult task in the whole of Middle-Earth. He'd soon find that she was going to turn tradition on it's head, starting with the nursery. Meadow had found that the dwarven idea of a nursery was strictly function, not form. The walls were as plain as the storage room walls, the floor had only a rush mat on it, and the cradle was nothing more than a box on chair rockers. The man who had decorated the room looked proud of himself, until Meadow burst into tears, and demanded to know if he thought they'd hang the baby from a hook in the wall. She became a wailing banshee when he proudly showed her the hook, complete with a leather bag hanging from it. The old dwarf was quickly hustled out and new dwarves, women, were sent for to help redesign the nursery.

Now it was freshly whitewashed, the cradle would do until a new one could be carved, and a comfortable chair and footstool brought in. A larger crib was put in the corner, for when the baby was too big to remain in the cradle, the hook now held a hanging basket of flowering vines, and a large dark rug was brought in. The one Meadow wanted would have to be hand woven and that could take weeks. All that was left to put in the nursery was clothing, diapers, and the baby.

Meadow sat in the comfortable chair and looked at her baby's room, muralists were coming to paint murals on the wall, and the room just off the nursery would be packed with baby clothing. She had no idea that the room was meant for a wet nurse, as no one had told her that princesses do not breast feed their babies. Fili had wisely decided that this information would leave Meadow an inconsolably weeping wreck, and she was already tired enough as it was. He thought it best to wait until the baby was born to produce the wet nurse and give Meadow a rest during the night.

They were about to sit for dinner one evening, the men were discussing old battles by the hearth when Meadow first felt a strange sensation. She put her hand on her now softly curved stomach and waited. The light fluttering happened again, too light to be felt by her hand, but she smiled brilliantly anyway.

"Fili! The baby is moving!" Meadow said happily, ignoring protocol and informing Fili of his child.

"Ahead of schedule." Thrain mused as Fili hurried over to Meadow, his face alight in delight as well. Neither had heard the mutterings from the more traditional dwarves, about how a woman must be secluded in order to prevent anything from happening to her or the next in line for the throne. Thror had mentioned the seclusion t prevent an outbreak of something, to which Meadow had demanded if pregnancy was contagious. Thror had no reason good enough to convince Meadow to go into a private bower, even if it was the one his wife, Thrain's wife, and even Dis, had used when they were enceinte. Meadow had agreed to use the bower when she was close to giving birth, she hadn't said how close to her time that would be however.

Fili knelt down next to Meadow and put his hand where she had hers. She chuckled at him.

"You won't be able to feel anything for a while, my love." Meadow said with a smile at Fili's exaggerated pout.

"You get to do everything and it's not fair." Fili muttered, earning a wry grimace.

"If I could trade the distended belly, the sore back and aching feet with you, believe me, I would do so in a heart beat." Meadow said, wincing as she arched her back, the ache had began to set in, as had the strange cravings, chief among them, truffles, in every dish she ate or she would dissolve into tears and make a scene in the hall. Young dwarves came more often now that the halls were the place to be to see the royals act like common people, especially the princess when she was in a mood.

She had even overridden Thror once and had the hall cleared of people because she wouldn't dine with animals who had no table manners. It never occurred to her to leave the hall, simple fixes were never on her mind when her mood changed. If she didn't burst into tears at being denied, she turned into a savage raging beast, and no one had the nerve to simply haul her away from the object of her ire. It was tiresome, and most of the men had been considering confining her forcibly until the baby was born, including the ever patient Thorin. He had weathered her tantrums and rages, her heartbreaking tears, and came out the other side with Meadow interviewing the ladies of the court with the idea that he needed a wife. Thorin had to leave the kingdom on a hunting trip to avoid both Meadow and the ladies.

Kili had gotten away relatively unscathed, as he had gone south to the kingdom of Moria, to meet the ladies who were travelling to Dale and the Kingdom under the Mountain to meet Fili and Thorin with the idea that both would marry. Kili had found both women distasteful and had sent word back to his uncle and brother. He was also going to travel to where the original girl had gone missing and look for any sign of foul play or the girl in general. Kili would not return for months, not until the next Durin Day.

Spring came in with a great wind roaring out of the northwest. It was called the Dragon Wind, as it could make even large oak trees sway with it's force. The ice on the lake cracked with sounds like thunder and great chunks were harvested before it became too dangerous. Meadow was showing her pregnancy quite well now, and couldn't keep Fili away from her belly now that he could feel his child kicking. Thrain and Thror had only once felt the movement, and had demurred from attempting it again. They hadn't done this with their own wives, but now both were retroactively missing the opportunity. Thorin point blank refused to touch Meadow, he acted as if she was going to explode at any second and avoided being left alone with her. His behaviour actually made Meadow laugh at him.

Thorin had managed to avoid the worst of Meadow swings. He and Fili could both call Meadow a fat, ugly, pig, and Thorin would be laughed at. Fili on the other hand would be weeks in reparations and apologies. This proved useful whenever there was news that directly affected Meadow. Thorin was sent to tell anything considered bad news, to Meadow and she'd react as if she was never carrying. It frustrated Fili, and irritated Thorin.

This was the norm when the women finally arrived from the Mines of Moria and made their entrance. Meadow was heavily pregnant, only a few months away from giving birth. She had sat at one of the smaller tables to rest her back and catch her breath from hurrying to the great hall. She wasn't required to be there, but had come anyway. Fili had nodded to her and continued to the head table, he'd keep an eye on her as well as Balin and Dwalin, who had returned from the Iron Hills after his stint as a representative.

Dwalin had been impressed with Meadow, her attitude and firm yet gentle manner were better than many of his training tactics. He also considered her an entertainment. Especially when she flew into a rage at poor Balin, for offering her apple wine, and he had been there to see. Dwalin had laughed himself sick, seeing Balin, gentle and non confrontational as he was, cower in the corner of the alcove as Meadow shrieked nearly incoherently about how she hated apples and couldn't drink wine.

Both older dwarves knew this was temporary and only happened during pregnancy, Dwalin had lost a great many female soldiers to their children, and had subsequently banned married females from joining the ranks. But temporary though it may be, it was still startling to see a delicate looking girl like Meadow stand up and berate some of his most fierce warriors for staring at her. Dwalin idly thought that if this was how grown dwarves behaved with carrying women, he may have to recruit some for training purposes. It was no coincidence that no male dwarf would raise his hand to a women even suspected of carrying. If one did, a dozen more would beat him to a pulp and drag him before a magistrate.

Some historians thought that the longer lived a race, the less prolific they were. The Elves had this knowledge and bemoaned it. For them, a child was rarer than a unicorn. One was a blessing, two a miracle, and three was unheard of, outside the mixed breeds. Most mixed breeds, the ones with human blood at least, were able to produce plenty of children during their long lives. But race purists didn't consider this applicable to the continuation of their races, either dwarven or Elven. This low fertility rate was due in part to the Elven immortality. They didn't need to reproduce in order to propagate their species like the humans did. Dwarves could, and many did, produce quite a few children during the years that their women especially fertile. Some women even allowed what was called a second wife, so that their may be more children, even if those were not of their own get.

Dwalin had once considered what he would do if he should retire as the Master at Arms for the King. He had thought of turning to scholarly work, like his brother Balin, or turning to smith work. He then realized why all human fairy tales had dwarves for toy makers. Almost all aging or elderly dwarves were sought after as toy makers. Dwalin could be a genius at creating toy soldiers and fierce beasts that could move with the addition of clockworks and a turnkey. Dwalin had even begun putting together designs, it was not unheard of for a soldier to turn to another craft and then leave the ranks to pursue that craft. He sat and thought until he thought he should go train. He had another fifty years in his contract as Master at Arms for Thror, he'd keep the toy making a quiet hobby.

Meadow sat, a little stiffly now that her very round stomach protruded too far for her back to remain straight. She had given up hope of ever seeing her feet again, and wearing a dress that did not expose her toes because the seamstress had mistakenly assumed that she wouldn't grow any larger. No one seemed to take the human side of her into consideration, and she didn't know how she should feel about that. Her unruly emotions screamed for weeping, and her less than reliable head was beginning to think the same way. She looked up as the delegation of Elves walked into the hall, they had taken note of everyone in the hall as soon as each had walked through the doors. Jokes had been told about the Elven hearing being better than a bat's, and no one doubted it.

One of the Elves, far in the front had taken great interest in watching Meadow. He had a great fascination and hadn't even turned to look at Thror, the elf next to him had to jostle him to make his bow. The slight interruption in his gaze didn't stop him from looking back at Meadow, very boldly and very rude, especially for an elf. It also didn't help Meadow's mood, as her temper immediately sparked and she glared, ineffectively, at the young elf, her face now in a grimace of supreme temper.

The dwarves knew what this meant and Fili was already hurrying from his spot on the dais. But the young elf had brashly gotten the idea in his head, to approach Meadow, who was visibly getting angrier at his attention, her grimace was now a rather frightening snarl. The head of the Elves, Thranduil the Elvenking, watched with amusement. The young elf was headstrong and listened to no one he thought wasn't important. Thror and Thranduil watched the exchange, Thror with growing horror, and Thranduil with great amusement.

The young elf knelt in front of Meadow and she tried to lean away from him, she had become aware of her shifting moods and tried to mitigate the damage wrought when she couldn't control herself, but this young elf was really trying her control.

"May I feel the baby?" the elf asked politely, ignoring Meadow's obvious distaste.

"Don't touch me." Meadow growled darkly, trying to edge away from him. He disregarded her words and reached for her, a pleasant smile on his handsome face, which Meadow wanted to claw off with her bare hands.

"Please? It would mean a great deal to me?" the elf pleaded, and laid his hands on Meadow's body. She reacted by managing to grab her shoe off her foot, and slapping him in the face with it.

"I said; Don't touch me!" Meadow shrieked at the top of her lungs, and slapped the impertinent elf again, before Fili grabbed her and dragged her to the door, where she burst into tears, angry tears, and had to have him carry her out of the hall.

Silence reigned in the hall. Thror was ready to sink into the rock below his throne in embarrassment and fear over what Meadow had just done to an envoy in the Elvenking's retinue. There was a small sound, quiet at first, then Thror realized what it was. Thranduil was chuckling, near hysterics as far as Elven expressions of humour went. The young elf looked mutinous and sulky as he rejoined the group, all of whom were at least grinning at him.

"That shall teach you to lay your hands on an unwilling woman. Think you long and hard about what to do to apologize for your rudeness and impertinence towards her and her child." Thranduil said merrily as the young elf realized his mistake. His mother would kill him, only child or not, for ignoring a woman's demand.

"The child is of my line. He shall answer to her husband, then his grandfather, my son Thrain, and then, to me. We do not like our women shook up, especially when they are with child." Thror growled, though he was dying to laugh in the most hysterical way possible. "Although I do apologize for her behaviour. She is usually a joy. Bright as the sun, and gentle as a summer breeze." Thror said, trying to appease any hard feelings.

"Even our women change into something we can not recognize, when they have the great blessing of being with child." a female elf said, diplomatically, Thror thought he saw a look of near pain cross Thranduil's face for but a second.

"Your wife also changed drastically?" Thror asked with a grin.

"She was a joy, when she wasn't with child. I both regretted and rejoiced the coming of my son. The end result was a child." Thranduil said with a smile.

"But the journey was long and arduous. Many men, human dwarven and elven, would agree with you. Myself and my son included." Thror said. The kings both remembered the trials of childbearing with less than found memories, before turning back to the matter of the treaties to renew.

Meadow's tears stopped once they reached their home. Fili wasn't aware of the good humour of the Elvenking and Thror, and was very nearly ready to beat sense into Meadow, even as she pulled her other shoe off and sat on the floor with her face buried in her hands. Real tears of fear and sorrow were now pouring down her cheeks.

"The Elvenking is going to demand my death for this insult, isn't he?" Meadow wailed.

"No, the elf wasn't listening to you. Elves have strict codes they live by, and he shouldn't have laid hands on you without your leave to do so." Fili said, trying to sooth Meadow after his anger evaporated.

"I saw what he was doing, and what I was doing. I couldn't stop myself from hitting him with my shoe. Is he hurt badly?!" Meadow continued to cry.

"You little shoe is nothing more than a few pieces of leather sewn together. You stopped wearing your court shoes, with the wooden soles, two months ago. You probably didn't even raise a red mark on his pale face." Fili said, now he was finding this funny. Soon he was laughing too hard to remain upright next to Meadow, and she was beginning to chuckle too. "I have never seen an elf look so shocked before!" Fili laughed. Meadow giggled in agreement.

"He looked as though he had never seen a shoe before." Meadow said with a grin. This made Fili laugh all the harder.

This isn't the end. I have more to write, and plan on following Kili down into the south. Please Read and Review. Thank you, Whackegourd.


End file.
